UC-NRLF 


SB    SMD    Mflb 


•iiritiv 

LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  Of 


fr 

INCIDENTS 


AND 


ANECDOTES  OF  THE  WAR: 


TOGETHER  WITS 


LIFE  SKETCHES  OF  EMINENT  LEADERS, 


AND  NARRATIVES  OF  TOT 


Most  Memorable  Battles  for  the  Union. 


EDITED     BY 

ORYILLE    J.    VICTOR, 

1TTTHOR  OP  "  HISTORY  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  REBELLION,"   "  LIFE  OF  GARIBALDI,"   "  LIPB 
OP  WINFIELD  SCOTT,"  "  LIFE  OF  ANTHONY  WAYNE,"  AC.  &0. 


|0rk: 

JAMES   D.    TORREY,    PUBLISHER, 

13  SPRUCE  STREET. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  m  the  year  1862,  by  JAMES  D.  TORREY,  in  the  Clerk's 
Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


LOAN  STACK 


. 


INTRODUCTION. 


WHEN  Cassius  M.  Clay  offered  his  services  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  to  raise  a  regiment  of  Kentucky  volunteers,  or  to  serve 
as  a  private  in  the  ranks,  the  Secretary  expressed  his  surprise, 
saying :  "  Sir,  this  is  the  first  instance  I  ever  heard  of  a  foreign 
Minister  [Clay  had  been  nominated  as  U.  S.  Minister  to  Kus- 
sia,]  volunteering  for  service  in  the  ranks."  "Then  let  us 
make  a  little  history !"  exclaimed  the  gallant  Kentuckian. 

Clay  only  typified  the  spirit  which  prevailed  in  almost  all 
conditions  of  life  at  the  North,  when  the  tocsin  was  sounded 
in  April,  1861.  The  world  never  before  witnessed  such  an 
uprising.  It  was  as  if  the  whole  current  of  thought  and  feel 
ing  had  been  changed  in  a  day.  Men  met  on  the  marts  to 
forget  all  about  stocks  and  market  quotations,  to  prove  the  de 
gree  of  their  own  loyalty  to  the  Government.  Congregations 
gathered  in  the  Churches  to  forget  creeds  and  theological  dif 
ferences  in  their  absorbing  devotion  to  the  salvation  of  the 
Country.  Women  gathered  to  forget  small-talk  and  social  tri 
bulations  in  the  noble  enthusiasm  ever  awakened  in  woman's 
bosom  when  great  emergencies  come.  Schools  were  listless, 
and  the  eyes  of  both  teachers  and  pupils  turned  longingly  to 
the  streets  where  the  people  were  gathering.  The  solemn 
tread  of  regiments  was  answered  by  the  acclamations  of  the 
gathered  thousands  who  everywhere  thronged  the  highways. 
Men  met  friends  changed  to  soldiers,  and  with  a  benediction 
bade  them  adieu.  Fathers,  mothers  and  sisters  sat  down  to 
the  evening  meal  to  find  one  chair  vacant,  and  the  prayer 
which  went  up  from  that  family  circle  called  down  God's  bless 
ing  on  the  absent  one.  It  was,  indeed,  the  season  of  sorrow. 


IV  INTKODUCTION. 

but  it  was  also  the  carnival  of  patriotism.  The  world  may 
never  witness  its  like  again.  Let  us  pray  that  an  overruling 
Providence  may  spare  the  country  from  another  such  visitation 
of  treason,  when  citizens  shall  fly  to  arms  to  protect  with  their 
lives  and  fortunes  their  beloved  country.  So  let  us  pray ! 

The  incidents  of  joy  and  sorrow,  of  pleasure  and  pain,  con 
nected  with  that  Great  Awakening,  would  fill  a  book — would 
make  a  volume  to  become  the  treasured  tome  for  to-day,  for 
to-morrow,  and  for  the  long  years  to  come.  It  will  only  be 
made  by  time.  When  the  war  is  past,  and  the  soldier  returns 
to  rejoin  the  home  he  has  so  long  forsaken — alas !  how  many 
homes  will  never  have  their  doorway  darkened  again  by  the 
forms  of  their  loved  ones ! — then  will  come  forth  the  incidents 
of  that  patriot-service,  to  make  their  way  over  the  community 
and  become  a  part  of  the  neighborhood's  treasures.  Those 
treasures,  time  will  surely  gather  and  present  in  a  folio,  which 
each  loyal  home  will  love  to  call  its  own.  It  will  be  our  pur 
pose  to  go  over  the  field  and  glean  what  we  may.  Enough 
already  has  been  recorded  to  make  such  a  volume  as  we  now 
propose.  We  shall  devote  a  few  weeks  to  gathering  the  scat 
tered  leaves — thus  to  contribute  our  share  to  the  store  from 
wliich  the  Home-Tome  of  the  War  shall  be  made  hereafter,  by 
some  loving  and  competent  hand. 

We  have  superadded  Life  Sketches  of  Ellsworth,  Winthrop, 
Baker,  Lyon — all  offered  up  as  sacrifices  upon  the  altar  of 
Liberty.  May  their  memory  ever  be  held  dear !  Also  biog 
raphies  of  General  Scott  and  General  McClellan.  Also  concise 
but  explicit  accounts  of  those  conflicts  which  stand  forth  in 
the  History  of  the  War  as  "  representative"  events, 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION •      '*.  •        3 

I.  The  Awakening ,,  7 

H.  The  New  Nation '  *  .      33 

III.  The  Mustering    .        ..'..",'•        •        .        .  39 

IV.  The  Poets         .        .        ."'..,'.    '•  '"   •       •  •      49 
V.  Early  Incidents 67 

VI.  The  Humors  of  the  Hour         .        .        £       .  .78 

VII.  The  Spirit  of  the  South        .        .        .                 ,  85 

VIII.  The  First  and  Second  'nagedy     •  .        ...      91 

IX.  Ellsworth     .        ..       ...        .     ,,  .  .,  ,  101 

X.  The  First  Capture  of  the  Flag  .       , »,      „       »  .     114 

XL  A  Northern  Breeze  from  the  South      .        .        .  120 

XII.  General  Scott    .        .        .        ,        .        .        .  .127 

XIII.  McClellan's  First  Campaign        ....  141 

XIV.  The  First  Disaster    .        .        .        .        .        .  .153 

XV.  Major  Winthrop  .        •  •  I.       ^      ..        .        ."161 

XVI.  The  Second  Disaster        .        >     ..        .        ..  .168 

XVII.  Incidents  of  the  Battle  of  Bull  Run    .        .        .  178 

XVIII.  General  McClellan    .        .        ;'       ...  .187 

XIX.  The  Third  Disaster      .        .      -.        .        .        .,       197 

XX.  Incidents  of  Ball's  Bluff  Disaster     .        .        *  .    209 

XXI.  Colonel  Baker      .       *.        .    •*  ,.        .        ,        .  216 

XXII.  Joseph  Holt  and  the  Kentucky  Soldiers  .        ,  .     229 
XXIII.  The  Spirit  of  Violence  in  the  South     ...  237 

2A2 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

XXIV.    Treason  in  Tennessee 252 

XXV.    Persecution   of  Unionists  in  Tennessee  —  Parson 

Brownlow's  Story 260 

XXVI.  The  Campaign  in  Missouri.    The  First  Disaster      .  276 

XXVII.  Incidents  of  the  Wilson's  Creek  Disaster    .        .  291 
XXVIII.     General  Lyon 266 

XXIX.     The  Second  Disaster  in  Missouri.    The  Siege  and 

Fall  of  Lexington    .        .        .        .        .        r  301 

XXX.     The  Charge  of  the  Three  Hundred  .        .        .     :  .  308 

XXXI.    Bombardment  of  the  Port  Royal  Forts        .        .  318 

XXXIL    Incidents  of  the  Capture  of  the  Port  Royal  Forts    .  323 

XXXin.     The  Fall  of  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson      *  .        .  329 

XXXIV.    Incidents  of  the  Battles  before  Fort  Donelson         .  339 

XXXV.     The  Battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing        .        .        .  343 

XXXVL    Incidents  of  the  Battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing  .        .858 

XXXVII.     A  Digression 366 

XXXVIII.    Bombardment  of  Forts  Jackson  and  St  Philip,  and 

Fall  of  New  Orleans 370 

XXXIX.    Incidents  at  the  Bombardment  of  Forts  Jackson 

and  St.  Philip,  and  Fall  of  New  Orleans        .  380 

XL.     Secession  Atrocity  on  the  Field        .        .        .        .386 

XLI.     Anecdotes  and  Incidents              .        .  392 


INCIDENTS  AND  ANECDOTES  OF  THE  WAR. 


THE     AWAKENING. 

APEIL  19th,  1775,  the  blood  of  the  Men  of  Massachusetts, 
the  first  martyrs  in  the  cause  of  American  Independence,  was 
shed  at  Lexington. 

April  19th,  1861,  the  blood  of  the  Men  of  Massachusetts,  the 
first  martyrs  in  the  cause  of  the  American  Union,  was  shed  at 
Baltimore. 

How  the  news  flew  over  the  land  to  arouse  the  already 
awakening  vengeance  of  the  Men  of  1775  !  The  blood  of 
Lexington  had  not  become  dry  ere  the  beacon-fires  of  alarm 
gleamed  from  the  hills.  While  the  young  men  flew  to  arms, 
the  old  men  leaped  into  the  saddle,  to  herald  the  tragedy  and 
call  the  country  to  its  defense.  The  message  flew  from  lip  to 
lip,  from  hift-top  to  hill-top,  "  until  village  repeated  it  to  vil 
lage  ;  the  sea  to  the  backwoods ;  the  plains  to  the  highlands , 
and  it  was  never  suffered  to  droop  till  it  had  been  borne  North 
and  South,  and  East  and  West  throughout  the  land.  It  spread 
over  the  bays  that  receive  the  Saco  and  the  Penobscot.  Its 
loud  reveille  broke  the  rest  of  the  trappers  of  New  Hampshire, 
and  ringing  like  bugle-notes  from  peak  to  peak,  overleapt  the 
Green  Mountains,  swept  onward  to  Montreal,  and  descended 
the  ocean  river,  till  the  responses  were  echoed  from  the  cliff  at 
Quebec.  The  hills  along  the  Hudson  told  to  one  another  the 
tale."  The  summons  hurried  to  the  South,  In  one  day  it  was 
at  New  York ;  in  one  more  at  Philadelphia :  then  it  flew  to 


8  INCIDENTS  AND  ANECDOTES 

the  South,  to  the  "West — was  borne  along  the  sea-coast  to 
awaken  the  answering  shout  from  bays,  and  sounds,  and  har 
bors — was  hurried  over  the  Alleghanies  to  awaken  the  note  of 
response  in  the  solemn  wilds  of  the  pathless  West. 

How  sublimely  did  the  men  of  that  time  respond  to  the 
call !  The  ferries  over  the  Merrimac  swarmed  with  the  men 
of  New  Hampshire.  Three  days  after  that  cry  "to  arms!" 
John  Stark  was  on  the  Boston  hills  with  his  invincible  bat 
talion.  From  Connecticut  came  Putnam,  the  man  of  iron,  rid 
ing  his  horse  one  hundred  miles  in  eighteen  hours,  and  gather 
ing  as  he  ran  a  troop  of  followers,  each  armed  with  a  rifle  as 
true  in  its  aim  as  the  heart  of  its  owner  was  loyal  to  Freedom. 
Little  Khode  Island  had  a  thousand  of  her  resolute  and  hardy 
sons  before  Boston  ere  the  oppressor  had  retreated  from  his 
sacrifice" at  Concord,  and  Nathaniel  Greene  was  Rhode  Island's 
leader.  Thirty  thousand  patriots  in  a  few  days  hemmed  in  the 
city  of  Boston,  where  the  British  had  taken  up  their  defiant 
stand ;  and  the  tragedy  of  Bunker's  Hill  was  soon  enacted 
before  her  gates. 

How  all  this  sounds  like  the  rush  to  arms  in  1861 !  Sounds 
like  it  because  the  cause-  was  the  same — the  defense  of  Consti 
tutional  Liberty  and  Inalienable  Rights ;  because  the  loyal  men 
of  '61  were  worthy  sons  of  the  sires  of  '75  ;  while  the  enemy 
of '61  were  the  degenerate  sons  of  their  sires,  bent  upon  the 
destruction  of  those  institutions  which  the  heart  of  Liberty  and 
the  hand  of  Freedom  had  built.  It  was  a  cause  worthy  of  the 
devotion  lavished  upon  it ;  and  history  will  never  tire  of  re 
cording  the  generous  deeds  of  those  who  answered  the  call  for 
men  to  "  suppress  treasonable  combinations  and  to  cause  the 
laws  to  be  duly  enforced." 

The  Diary  of  Events,  from  the  fall  of  Sumter  to  May  1st, 
deserves  to  be  preserved  in  every  man's  memory.  The  events 
were  so  extraordinary  in  themselves,  the  spirit  in  which  the 
people  acted  was  so  astonishingly  alive  with  devotion  to  the 
country  and  the  sustenance  of  its  laws,  that  another  generation 
will  study  the  stoiy  with  amazement  As  preliminary  to  our 
we  may  offer  the  record  of  that  remarkable  Awakening. 


OF     THE     WAR.  9 

April  13th,  1861.  The  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter,  and  its 
surrender,  instead  of  depressing,  fires  and  animates  all  patriotic 
hearts.  One  deep,  strong,  overpowering  sentiment  now  sweeps 
over  the  whole  community — a  sentiment  of  determined,  de 
voted,  active  loyalty.  The  day  for  the  toleration  of  treason — • 
treason  to  the  Constitution !  defiance  to  the  laws  that  we  have 
made ! — has  gone  by.  The  people  have  discovered  that  what 
they  deemed  almost  impossible,  has  actually  come  to  pass,  and 
that  the  rebels  are  determined  to  break  up  this  Government, 
if  they  can  do  it.  With  all  such  purposes  they  are  determined 
to  make  an  end  as  speedily  as  may  be. 

— The  Pennsylvania  Legislature  passed  the  war  bill,  last 
evening,  without  amendment.  Previous  to  its  passage  the 
news  of  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter  was  announced,  and 
produced  a  profound  sensation.  The  bill  appropriates  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  arming  and  equip 
ping  the  militia ;  authorizes  a  temporary  loan ;  provides  for 
the  appointment  of  an  Adjutant-General,  Commissary-General, 
and  Quartermaster-General,  who,  with  the  Governor,  are  to 
have  power  to  carry  the  act  into  effect. 

April  15th.  The  President  of  the  United  States  called  by 
proclamation  for  75,000  volunteers  to  suppress  insurrectionary 
combinations;  and  commanded  "the  persons  composing  the 
combinations  aforesaid  to  disperse  and  retire  peaceably  to  their 
respective  abodes  within  twenty  days."  In  the  same  proclama 
tion,  an  extra  session  of  both  Houses  of  Congress  was  called 
for  the  4th  of  July. 

— Large  Union  meetings  were  held  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  "West- 
Chester  and  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Lawrence,  Mass.,  and  Dover,  N.  H. 
At  Pittsburgh  the  meeting  was  opened  by  the  Mayor,  who  in 
troduced  the  venerable  William  Wilkinson.  Mr.  Wilkinson 
was  made  President  of  the  meeting.  About  twenty -five  Yice- 
Presidents  were  also  appointed.  Eesolutions  were  adopted, 
declaring  undying  fealty  to  the  Union,  approving  the  course 
of  the  Legislative  and  Executive  branches  of  the  State  Govern 
ment  in  responding  to  the  call  of  the  President,  disregarding 
all  partisan  feeling,  and  pledging  their  lives,  fortunes,  and 


10  INCIDENTS  AND  ANECDOTES 

sacred  honor  in  the  defense  of  the  Union,  and  appointing  a 
Committee  of  Public  Safety. 

— Governor  Yates,  of  Illinois,  issued  a  proclamation  to  convene 
the  Legislature  at  Springfield,  on  the  23d  of  April,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  enacting  such  laws  and  adopting  such  measures  as  may 
be  deemed  necessary  upon  the  following  subject,  to  wit:  The 
more  perfect  organization  and  equipment  of  the  militia  of  the 
State,  and  placing  the  same  upon  the  best  footing,  to  render 
efficient  assistance  to  the  General  Government  in  preserving 
the  Union,  enforcing  the  laws,  protecting  the  property  and 
rights  of  the  people,  and  also  the  raising  of  such  money,  and 
other  means,  as  may  be  required  to  carry  out  the  foregoing 
objects.  •"  *  .  * 

— At  Philadelphia  the  Union  pledge  is  receiving  the  signature 
of  all  classes  of  citizens.  It  responds  to  the  President's  pro 
clamation,  and  declares  an  unalterable  determination  to  sustain 
the  Government,  throwing  aside  all  differences  of  political 
opinion. 

— An  excited  crowd  assembled  this  morning  before  the  print 
ing  office  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Chestnut  streets,  where 
the  Palmetto  Flag,  a  small  advertising  sheet,  is  published,  and 
threatened  to  demolish  it  The  proprietor  displayed  the 
American  flag,  and  threw  the  objectionable  papers  from  the 
windows — also,  the  Stars  and  /Stripes,  another  paper  printed  at 
the  same  office,  restoring  the  crowd  to  good-humor.  The 
crowd  moved  down  to  the  Argus  office  in  Third  street,  oppo 
site  Dock  street,  ordering  that  the  flag  should  be  displayed 

— Alter  visiting  the  newspaper  offices  and  Government  pro 
perty,  they  marched  in  a  body  up  Market  street,  bearing  a  flag. 
At  all  points  on  the  route,  well-known  Union  men  were  obliged 
to  make  all  haste  to  borrow,  beg,  or  steal  something  red,  white, 
and  blue,  to  protect  their  property  with.  Searches  were  made 
for  the  publication  rooms  of  the  Southern  Monitor;  but  as  that 
paper  had  suspended,  the  mob  were  unable  to  carry  out  their 
intention  of  destroying  the  forms.  They  satisfied  themselves 
with  breaking  the  signs  to  pieces.  The  ring-leaders  were  fur- 
Dished  with  ropes,  with  which  to  hang  the  editor  if  caught 
2 


OF    THE    WAR.  11 

During  the  afternoon,  General  Patterson's  mansion,  corner 
of  Thirteenth  and  Locust  streets,  was  mobbed  and  threatened 
with  destruction,  A  servant  answered  their  call,  and  unfor 
tunately  slammed  the  door  in  their  faces.  The  crowd  became 
uproarious  and  violent,  and  made  an  attempt  to  force  open  the 
door.  General  Patterson  finally  appeared  at  the  window,  bear 
ing  the  colors  of  the  regiment  The  crowd  then  moved  away. 
It  is  understood  that  General  Patterson,  who  is  charged  with 
secessionism,  intends  throwing  up  his  commission. 

They  then  visited  General  Cadwallader,  who  made  a  Union 
speech  and  threw  out  a  flag.  Several  prominent  Southerners, 
with  secession  proclivities,  including  Eobert  Tyler,  have  received 
warnings  from  a  so-called  Vigilance  Committee. 

The  following  is  the  speech  that  was  made  by  Mayor  Henry 
to  the  excited  mob  which  threatened  the  Palmetto  Flag 
building : 

"  Fellow  Citizens :  By  the  grace  of  Almighty  God,  treason 
shall  never  rear  its  head  or  have  a  foothold  in  Philadelphia. 
[Immense  cheering.]  I  call  upon  you  as  American  citizens  to 
stand  by  your  flag  and  protect  it  at  all  hazards — at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet,  if  necessary ;  but,  in  doing  so,  remember  the 
rights  due  your  fellow-citizens  and  their  private  property. 
[Immense  cheering.]  That  flag  is  an  emblem  of  the  Govern 
ment,  and  I  call  upon  all  good  citizens  who  love  their  country 
and  its  flag,  to  testify  their  loyalty  by  going  to  their  respective 
places  of  abode,  leaving  to  the  constituted  authorities  of  the 
city  the  task  of  protecting  the  peace,  and  preventing  every  act 
which  could  be  construed  into  treason  to  their  country."  The 
Mayor  then  hoisted  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

— Seventeen  vessels  were  seized  in  the  port  of  New  York  from 
ports  in  southern  States,  their  clearances  being  improper,  and 
not  signed  by  United  States  officers.  They  were  fined  $100 
each,  and  some  were  held  subject  to  forfeiture. 

— Albany,  New  York,  has  presented  an  unwonted  appearance 
all  day  to-day.  The  Capitol  has  been  thronged  with  citizens 
who  have  apparently  left  their  business  to  gather  at  head-quar 
ters,  and  watch  eagerly  the  progress  of  events.  The  spirit  of 


12  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

the  masses  is  decidedly  aroused,  and,  from  present  indications, 
Albany  will  be  behind  no  city  in  the  State  or  Union  in  evinc 
ing  her  patriotism  and  her  determination,  as  the  crisis  has 
come,  to  stand  firmly  by  the  Government  of  the  country,  with 
out  pausing  to  charge  upon  any  the  responsibility  of  the  pre 
sent  terrible  events. 

— The  Directors  of  the  Bank  of  Commerce,  of  Providence,  R  L, 
advanced  a  loan  of  $30,000  to  the  State,  for  aiding  in  the  outfit 
of  troops.  Large  offers  from  private  citizens  have  also  been 
made  to  Governor  Sprague  for  a  similar  purpose.  The  Globe 
Bank  tendered  to  the  State  a  loan  of  $50,000. 

— An  enthusiastic  Union  meeting  was  held  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Speeches  were  made  by  Senator  Wade,  and  other  pro 
minent  gentlemen.  Resolutions  were  adopted  to  sustain  the 
Government,  approving  of  the  President's  call  for  volunteers, 
recommending  the  Legislature  to  make  appropriations  of  men 
and  money,  and  appointing  a  committee  to  ascertain  the  ef 
ficiency  of  the  Cleveland  militia. 

— Fernando  Wood,  Mayor  of  New  York,  issued  a  proclama 
tion,  calling  upon  the  people  of  the  city  to  avoid  turbulence 
and  exciternp.nt,  and  to  rally  to  the  restoration  of  the  Constitu 
tion  and  Union. 

— An  immense  Union  meeting  held  in  Troy,  New  York,  ad 
journed  in  a  body  to  the  vicinity  of  General  Wool's  residence. 
In  response  to  the  patriotic  address  of  the  chairman,  General 
Wool  rejoiced  at  the  glorious  demonstration.  Never  before 
had  he  been  filled  with  such  a  measure  of  joy.  He  had 
fought  under  the  old  flag,  but  had  only  done  his  duty.  His 
appeal  in  behalf  of  his  country's  honor  was  very  touching. 
"  Will  you,"  he  said,  "permit  the  Stars  and  Stripes  to  be  dese 
crated  and  trampled  in  the  dust  by  traitors  now  ?  Will  you 
permit  our  noble  Government  to  be  destroyed  by  rebels,  in 
order  that  they  may  advance  their  schemes  of  political  am 
bition  and  extend  the  area  of  slavery  ?  It  cannot  be  done ! 
The  spirit  of  the  age  forbids.  Humanity  and  manhood  forbid 
it.  The  sentimejit  of  the  civilized  world  forbids  it  That  flag 
\nust  be  lifted  from  the  dust  and  saved  from  sacrilege  at  the 


OF    THE    WAK.  13 

hands  of  apostates  to  truth,  liberty,  and  honor.  I  pledge  you 
my  heart,  my  hand,  my  energies  to  the  cause.  The  Union 
shall  be  maintained.  I  am  prepared  to  devote  my  life  to  the 
work,  and  to  lead  you  in  the  struggle." 

— The  Governor  of  Kentucky,  in  reply  to  Secretary  Came 
ron's  call  for  troops  from  that  State,  says :  "  Your  dispatch  is 
received.  In  answer,  I  say  emphatically,  Kentucky  will  fur 
nish  no  troops  for  the  wicked  purpose  of  subduing  her  sister 
Southern  States.  B.  MAGOFFIN." 

— General  visitation,  by  the  populace,  to  newspaper  offices 
in  New  York  and  several  other  cities.  Newspapers  regarded 
as  of  doubtful  loyalty  are  compelled  to  run  out  the  Stars  and 
Stripes. 

April  16th.  A  great  Union  meeting  was  held  to-day  at  Ty 
rone,  Pa.  Ex-U.  S.  Senator  Bigler  expressed  unequivocal  sen 
timents  of  loyalty,  and  called  upon  the  people  to  sustain  the 
Government  in  the  exercise  of  its  energies  to  suppress  rebellion, 

— The  Einggold  Flying  Artillery,  of  Eeading,  Pa.,  Captain 
James  McKnight,  180  men,  with  four  field-pieces,  received  a 
requisition  from  the  Governor  this  morning  to  set  out  this 
evening,  at  six  o'clock,  for  Harrisburg,  the  place  of  rendezvous 
for  the  first  Pennsylvanians  in  the  field.  Two  military  com 
panies  from  Tyrone,  two  from  Altoona,  and  two  from  Holli- 
daysburg,  will  leave  to-morrow  for  Harrisburg. 

— Four  regiments,  ordered  to  report  for  service  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  commenced  arriving  there  before  nine  A.  M.  this  morning, 
the  companies  first  arriving  not  having  received  their  orders 
until  last  night.  Already  about  thirty  companies  have  arrived, 
numbering  over  1,700  men  in  uniform,  and  with  these  are 
several  hundred  who  are  importunate  to  be  allowed  to  join  the 
ranks. 

— The  City  Government  of  Lawrence,  Mass.,  appropriated 
$5,000  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of  those  who  have  volun 
teered  to  defend  the  country's  flag. 

— Governor  Buckingham,  of  Connecticut,  issued  a  proclama 
tion  calling  for  volunteers,  to  rendezvous  at  Hartford. 

— The  Mechanics',  Elm  City,  Fairfield  County,  Thames,  and 
B 


14  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

other  banks  of  Connecticut,  voted  large  sums  of  money  to 
assist  in  equipping  the  troops,  and  the  support  of  their  families. 

— New  Hampshire  responds  to  the  President's  proclamation, 
and  will  furnish  the  troops  required.  The  Concord  Union 
Bank  tendered  a  loan  of  $20,000  to  the  Governor,  and  all  the 
Directors,  with  the  Cashier,  agree  to  contribute  $100  each  to 
the  support  of  such  families  of  the  volunteers  of  Concord,  as 
may  fall  in  defending  the  flag  of  the  country. 

— The  session  of  the  New  York  East  Methodist  Conference 
was  opened  by  the  following  prayer  :  "  Grant,  O  God,  that  all 
the  efforts  now  being  made  to  overthrow  rebellion  in  our  dis 
tracted  country,  may  be  met  with  every  success.  Let  the 
forces  that  have  risen  against  our  Government,  and  Thy  law, 
be  scattered  to  the  winds,  and  may  no  enemies  be  allowed  to 
prevail  against  us.  Grant,  0  God,  that  those  who  have  aimed 
at  the  very  heart  of  the  republic  may  be  overthrown.  "We  ask 
Thee  to  bring  these  men  to  destruction,  and  wipe  them  from 
the  face  of  the  country  !" 

— Governor  Letcher,  of  Virginia,  responds  to  the  demand  for 
troops :  "I  have  only  to  say  that  the  militia  of  Virginia  will 
not  Refurnished  to  the  powers  at  Washington  for  any  such  use  or 
purpose  as  they  have  in  view.  Your  object  is  to  subjugate  the 
Southern  States,  and  a  requisition  made  upon  me  for  such  an 
object — an  object,  in  my  judgment,  not  within  the  purview  of 
the  Constitution  or  the  Act  of  1795 — will  not  be  complied 
with.  You  have  chosen  to  inaugurate  civil  war,  and,  having  done 
so,  ive  will  meet  it  in  a  spirit  as  determined  as  the  Administration 
has  exhibited  towards  the  South" 

— The  Governor  of  North  Carolina  refused  to  comply  with 
the  call,  expressing  his  doubts  as  to  the  President's  authority 
to  make  the  call.  He,  at  the  same  date,  made  quick  prepara 
tions  to  seize  all  Government  property  in  the  State,  and  to 
place  the  State  on  a  footing  of  military  efficiency. 

— A  large  meeting  of  German  workmen  held  in  Newark,  New 
Jersey.  The  Germans  everywhere  in  the  North  evince  a  spirit 
of  great  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Union. 

— General  Cass,  late  Secretary  of  State,  in  a  speech  at  De- 


OF     THE     WAR.  15 

troit,  took  the  strongest  ground  for  the  Union.     Every  citizen, 
he  declared,  should  stand  by  the  Government. 

— Great  meetings  are  held  to-day  throughout  the  chief  towns 
in  the  Western  States.  The  people  are  represented  as  "  all  on 
fire," — all  parties  "  fusing"  on  the  common  ground  of  devotion 
to  the  Union,  Intense  enthusiasm  prevails.  A  volunteer  roll 
opened  at  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  was  first  signed  by  a  minis 
ter  of  the  Gospel.  The  first  company  of  Indiana  Volunteers 
left  Lafayette,  to-day,  for  the  rendezvous  at  Indianapolis.  Over 
two  hundred  companies  are  represented  as  nearly  formed  in 
the  State,  ready  for  regimental  organization.  Illinois  is  not 
behind.  Ohio  has  moved  with  alacrity.  Captain  McClellan 
will  be  made  Major-General,  to  command  the  Ohio  Volunteers. 

— Virginia  "  seceded"  to-day,  and  her  Governor  issued  a 
proclamation  acknowledging  the  Independence  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy. 

— Washington  City  is  regarded  as  in  great  danger  of  seizure 
by  the  Secessionists  of  Virginia,  aided  by  a  mob  of  cut- throats 
from  Baltimore.  Colonel  Ben  McCullough  is  known  to  be 
chief  of  the  organization  for  the  seizure  of  the  Capital  The 
*  Southern  papers  generally  regard  the  seizure  as  certain,  and  it 
is  proclaimed  that  the  Davis  Government  will  occupy  the  Capi 
tal  Great  precautions  are  being  taken  by  General  Scott  to 
guard  the  place.  The  city  is  under  arms.  Volunteer  compa 
nies,  comprising  Members  of  Congress  and  Government  em 
ployees,  are  organized,  armed  and  on  duty.  The  District 
militia  is  enrolled  and  in  service,  under  command  of  Adjutant- 
General  McDowell.  Large  numbers  of  Northern  men,  singly 
and  in  squads,  are  hurrying  to  the  Capital  to  enlist  in  its  de 
fense.  One  entire  battalion  of  Philadelphia  troops  reach  the 
city — the  first  volunteers  in  the  field. 

— Jefferson  Davis  to-day  issued  his  proclamation,  initiating 
the  privateer  system. 

April  18.  Governor  Harris,  of  Tennessee,  replies  to  Presi 
dent  Lincoln's  call  for  two  regiments  of  troops,  by  saying  that 
"  Tennessee  will  not  furnish  a  single  man  for  coercion,  but  fifty 


16  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

thousand,  if  necessary,  for  the  defense  of  our  rights,  or  those 
of  our  Southern  brothers." 

— Governor  Jackson,  of  Missouri,  answers  Secretary  Came 
ron  by  telling  him  that  his  "  requisition  is  illegal,  unconsti 
tutional,  revolutionary,  inhuman,  diabolical,  and  cannot  be 
complied  with." 

-The  Common  Council  of  Boston  appropriated  $100,000  to 
provide  for  soldiers  enlisting  from  Boston.  The  Lowell  city 
government  appropriated  $8,000  for  soldiers'  families. 

— The  banks  in  Trenton,  N".  J.,  Chicago,  111.,  Portland,  Me., 
subscribed  in  support  of  the  Federal  Government.  A  meeting 
of  the  officers,  representing  all  the  Boston  (Mass.)  banks,  was 
held  this  morning,  when  resolutions  were  adopted  to  loan  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  10  per  cent,  on  their  entire  capital  for 
the  defense  of  the  Government.  The  capital  of  tne  Boston 
banks  amounts  to  $38,800,000. 

— At  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  an  intense  war  feeling  prevails.  Busi 
ness  is  almost  suspended.  Immense  crowds  throng  all  the 
prominent  streets,  flags  are  floating  everywhere,  and  the  volun 
teer  companies  are  all  filled  and  departing  eastward.  Liberal 
subscriptions  are  being  made  for  the  comfort  of  volunteers  and 
the  support  of  their  families.  Eecruiting  is  still  going  on,  al 
though  there  are  more  than  enough  for  the  requirements  of  the 
State  to  fill  the  Federal  requisition.  A  Committee  of  Public 
Safety  held  a  meeting  to-day,  and  organized  A  large  quantity 
of  powder  which  had  been  sent  down  the  river,  was  intercepted 
at  Steubenville,  it  being  feared  it  would  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  Secessionists.  Eopes  were  suspended  to  lamp-posts  last 
night,  by  unknown  persons,  labelled  "  Death  to  traitors."  Some 
assaults  have  been  made  on  persons  who  have  expressed  sym 
pathy  with  the  Secessionists. 

—Lieutenant  R  Jones,  of  the  United  States  army,  in  com 
mand  at  Harper's  Ferry  with  forty-three  men,  destroyed  the 
arsenal  at  that  place  and  retreated.  He  was  advised  that  a 
force  of  2,500  men  had  been  ordered  to  take  his  post,  by 
Governor  Letcher ;  and  he  put  piles  of  powder  in  straw  in  all 


OF     THE     WAR.  17 

the  buildings,  and  quietly  awaited  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 
When  his  picket-guard  gave  the  alarm  that  600  Virginians 
were  approaching  by  the  Winchester  road,  the  men  were  run 
out  of  the  arsenal  and  the  combustibles  fired.  The  people 
fired  upon  the  soldiers,  killing  two,  and  rushed  into  the  ar 
senal.  All  the  works,  munitions  of  war,  and  15,000  stand  of 
arms  were  destroyed. 

— An  intimation  is  given  that  the  U.  S.  volunteers  will  be 
assailed,  if  any  attempt  is  made  to  pass  to  Washington  through 
Baltimore.  The  Baltimore  canaille  is  being  excited  to  a  mob 
spirit  by  secession  emissaries. 

— The  Sixth  Massachusetts  regiment  pass  through  New 
York  en  route  for  Washington,  via  Baltimore. 

— The  Mayor  of  Baltimore  and  the  Governor  of  Maryland 
unite  in  d  proclamation,  urging  the  people  to  preserve  the 
peace.  The  Governor  stated  that  no  Maryland  troops  should 
be  placed  at  the  General  Government's  disposal,  except  for  the 
defense  of  the  Capital. 

— An  immense  mass  Union  meeting  was  held  in  Louisville, 
this  evening. 

— Governor  Morgan,  of  New  York,  issued  his  Proclamation 
for  volunteers. 

— Major  Anderson  and  his  command  arrive  in  New  York  on 
the  transport  Baltic.  They  have  an  enthusiastic  reception. 

April  19.  The  Preside-nt  of  the  United  States  issues  his 
Proclamation  of  Blockade  of  the  ports  in  the  rebellious  States. 

— A  most  important  session  of  the  New  York  Chamber  of 
Commerce  is  held  to-day.  Perfect  harmony  prevailed.  The 
Government  was  sustained,  and  a  Committee  of  the  leading 
capitalists  appointed  to  insure  the  taking  of  nine  millions  of 
the  Treasury  loan  yet  on  the  market.  The  resolutions  adopted 
fairly  rung  with  decision  and  patriotism.  As  the  Chamber 
represented  over  two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  in  actual  re 
serve,  the  proceedings  were  regarded  as  of  the  highest  import 
ance.  From  that  moment  the  men  of  wealth  of  the  metropolis 
were  almost  unanimously  committed  to  the  policy  of  an  over- 
B2  3 


18  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

whelming  demonstration  of  the  Government's  power  against  its 
enemies. 

— An  American  flag,  forty  by  twenty  feet,  was  mn  out  on 
Trinity  Church  spire,  New  York.  The  church  bells  chimed 
national  airs  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

— An  attack  is  made,  by  the  Baltimore  ruffians,  on  the  Mas 
sachusetts  Sixth  and  the  Pennsylvania  Seventh  regiments, 
which  were  passing  through  the  city  en  route  for  Washington. 
The  Massachusetts  men  occupied  eleven  cars.  Nine  cars  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  the  Washington  depot :  the  other  two  were 
cut  off  by  the  mob>  when  their  troops  alighted,  formed  a  solid 
square,  arid,  preceded  by  the  Mayor  and  police,  marched  up 
Pratt  street  for  the  depot.  Brickbats,  stones,  and  pieces  of  iron 
were  hurled  at  the  troops,  but,  obeying,  orders,  they  withheld 
any  demonstration  against  their  assailants,  notwithstanding 
several  of  the  men  were  seriously  injured.  This  leniency  only 
served  to  inflame  the  mob  to  further  violence.  Attempts  were 
made  to  seize  the  muskets  of  the  men,  and  a  pistol-shot  from  a 
window  killed  one  of  the  soldiers.  The  ruffian  who  committed 
the  deed  was  immediately  shot  by  one  of  the  soldiers.  An 
immediate  passage  of  shots  followed — the  solid  square,  with 
fixed  bayonets,  led  by  the  Mayor,  still  pressing  on  to  the  de 
pot,  bearing  their  wounded  and  dead  in  then*  centre.  The  de 
pot  was  at  length  reached,  when  it  was  found  that  two  of  the 
Massachusetts  men  were  killed  and  eight  wounded — one  mor 
tally.  Eleven  of  the  mob  were  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 
This  affair  so  fearfully  excited  the  people  of  Baltimore  that,  for 
several  days,  the  mob  virtually  reigned  uncontrolled,  overaw 
ing  the  Mayor  and  Governor,  and  finding  coadjutors  in  the 
Chief  of  Police  and  the  Police  Board.  The  Chief  of  Police 
sped  a  dispatch  and  sent  runners  over  the  country  to  hurry 
forward  the  secession  emissaries  to  "  drive  back  the  Northern 
invaders."  His  dispatch,  soon  brought  to  light,  proved  the 
fellow  to  be  one  of  the  secret  agents  of  the  traitors. 

— The  Pennsylvania  troops  arrived  in  Baltimore  a  few 
minutes  after  the  Massachusetts  men,  and  remained  at  the 


OF     THE     WAE.  19 

Philadelphia  depot  to  await  the  issue  of  the  attempt  to  pass. 
The  mob  fell  back,  after  the  tragedy  in  Pratt  street,  upon  the 
Pennsylvanians,  who  were  entirely  unarmed.  They  gathered 
in  the  depot,  and  soon  orders  came  from  the  city  authorities 
and  the  Governor  for  the  railway  company  to  return  the  troops 
to  the  State  line — an  order  soon  obeyed. 

— In  view  of  the  state  of  feeling  at  Baltimore,  the  Mayor 
and  Governor  united  in  a  commission  to  the  President  to  re 
present  that  no  more  troops  could  pass  through  then*  city  un 
less  they  fought  their  way.  The  President  decided  to  spare 
the  effusion  of  blood  by  ordering  the  regiments  to  march 
around  the  city.  The  route  by  way  of  Perryville  and  Annap 
olis  was  soon  opened  by  General  Butler,  with  the  Massachu 
setts  Eighth,  assisted  by  the  New  York  Seventh. 

— The  entire  North  was  fearfully  excited  by  the  news  of  the 
attack  on  the  Massachusetts  men.  It  only  served  to  intensify 
the  antagonisms  existing.  It  was  so  potent  in  exciting  the 
public  that  every  recruiting  rendezvous  in  the  North  was 
literally  overrun  with  applicants  for  positions  in  the  ranks.  It 
is  estimated  that  more  men  offered  in  Pennsylvania  than 
would  fill  the  entire  requisition  of  April  loth. 

—Governor  Andrew,  of  Massachusetts,  sent  the  following 
dispatch  to  Mayor  Brown  :  "I  pray  you,  cause  the  bodies  of 
our  Massachusetts  soldiers,  dead  in  battle,  to  be  immediately 
laid  out,  preserved  in  ice,  and  tenderly  sent  forward  by  ex 
press  to  me.  All  expenses  will  be  paid  by  this  Common 
wealth."  This  was  complied  with,  and  the  Mayor  wrote 
apologetically  for  that  sad  occurrence. 

— The  City  Council  of  Philadelphia,  at  a  special  meeting, 
appropriated  $1,000,000  to  equip  the  volunteers  and  support 
their  families  during  their  absence  from  home.  Fourteen 
thousand  dollars  were  subscribed  for  the  same  purpose  at 
Norwich,  Conn. 

—The  Seventh  regiment,  N.  Y.  S.  M.,  left  for  "Washington  at 
noon,  amid  the  wildest  enthusiasm.  An  innumerable  throng 
cheered  them  on  their  way.  News  of  the  assault  in  Baltimore 
was  received  before  they  left,  when  forty-eight  rounds  of  ball- 
cartridge  were  served  out 


20  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

— The  Khode  Island  Marine  artillery  followed  the  Seyentk 
This  superb  battery  reflected  great  credit  on  the  State  and  its 
Governor.  It  was  composed  of  130  men,  110  horses,  eight 
splendid  field-pieces  and  all  requisite  accessories.  The  com 
mander,  Colonel  Tomkins,  was  eager  to  open  the  route  through 
Baltimore. 

—The  Massachusetts  Eighth  followed  the  Ehode  Islanders. 
It  was  accompanied  by-  Brigadier-General  B.  F.  Butler,  in 
general  command  of  the  Massachusetts  forces. 

— Anticipating  the  descent  of  the  forces  now  gathered  at 
Philadelphia,  the  Baltimore  mob  proceeded  to  Canton  station, 
on  the  Philadelphia  railway,  and,  stopping  the  evening  train, 
compelled  the  passengers  all  to  leave  it.  The  engineer  was 
then  made  to  run  the  mob  up  to  the  Gunpowder  bridge — a 
fine  structure  over  Gunpowder  Creek.  The  draw  and  shore 
sections  of  the  bridge  were  burned.  The  train  then  returned 
to  Bush  River  bridge,  which  was  also  burned.  Then  the  Can 
ton  bridge  was  fired  and  consumed.  After  the  work  of  de 
struction  the  mob  returned  to  Baltimore,  on  the  train,  and  were 
received  with  acclamations. 

— Stupendous  mass  meeting  of  the  people  of  New  York 
City,  called  by  citizens  of  all  parties  and  religious  denomina 
tions,  to  express  sympathy  with  the  Government.  The  entire 
demonstration  was  harmonious  and  satisfactory,  and  resulted 
in  great  good  to  the  common  cause.  It  is  estimated  that  one 
hundred  thousand  people,  directly  or  indirectly,  participated  in 
the  proceedings.  The  "  Union  Defense  Committee" — composed 
of  twenty-six  of  the  most  wealthy  and  prominent  men  of  the 
city  [the  number  afterwards  was  increased  to  thirty -two,]  grew 
out  of  the  great  gathering.  Its  business  was  to  collect  and 
disburse  funds  for  arming,  equipping,  and  placing  in  the  field 
the  New  York  City  regiments — to  care  for  the  families  of  the 
volunteers — to  co-operate  with  Government  in  whatever  would 
tend  to  strengthen  the  National  cause.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
beneficent  and  effective  organizations  of  the  war.  Besides  the 
large  private  subscriptions  placed  at  its  disposal,  the  City  Gov 
ernment  voted  one  million  of  dollars,  to  be  expended  under 
the  Committee's  direction. 


OF     THE     WAE.  21 

— The  Gosport  (Norfolk)  Navy-yard  destroyed  during  the 
night  of  April  19-20.  Government  property  to  the  amount 
of  over  eleven  millions  of  dollars  was  committed  to  the  flames 
and  the  water,  "  to  keep  it,"  as  the  officer  in  charge,  Commander 
McAuley  said,  "  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  revolu 
tionists" — then  in  considerable  force  at  Norfolk,  under  com 
mand  of  General  Taliaferro.  Commodore  Paulding  sailed  in, 
on  the  Pawnee,  at  eight  P.  M.,  (April  19th,)  to  find  the  Merrimac 
steam  frigate  disabled,  the  Germantown,  Raritan,  Pennsylvania, 
Plymouth,  and  other  vessels  either  scuttled  or  given  up  to  the 
flames.  The  Cumberland  frigate  alone,  of  all  that  fine  fleet, 
was  saved  by  the  accidental  presence  of  the  Yankee,  steam-tug, 
owned  by  "William  B.  Astor,  of  New  York,  and  sent  out  by 
him  "  to  be  of  some  service  to  Government  somewhere."  The 
buildings,  timber,  two  thousand  pieces  of  ordnance  (of  all  sizes, 
from  the  heavy  Columbiad  and  Dahlgren  to  the  boat  howitzer,) 
small-arms,  stocks,  shears,  machinery — all  were  offered  up,  a 
holocaust  to  rebellion  and  James  Buchanan's  want  of  foresight 
and  courage.  Neither  is  the  administration  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
blameless,  for  it  should  have  taken  all  the  movable  property 
away,  under  the  guns  of  the  very  frigates  which  were  commit 
ted  to  the  flames  and  waves.  Viewed  in  every  aspect,  it  was 
a  most  wretched  affair. 

— At  a  second  great  Union  meeting  in  Chicago,  during  the 
proceedings,  at  the  suggestion  of  Judge  Manniere,  the  entire 
audience  raised  their  right  hands  and  took  the  oath  of  alle 
giance  to  the  United  States  Government — repeating  the  oath 
after  the  Judge. 

— Orders  were  issued  by  the  officers  of  the  Western  Union, 
and  the  New  York,  Albany  and  Buffalo  Telegraphic  Compa 
nies,  that  no  messages  be  received  ordering  arms  or  munitions 
of  war,  unless  for  the  use  of  the  General  Government. 

April  20th.  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania,  convenes 
the  Legislature  of  his  State  for  the  30th  of  April,  "  to  take  into 
consideration  and  to  adopt  such  measures  as  the  present  emer 
gencies  may  demand." 

— A.  letter  was  received  at  Philadelphia  from  Governor 


22  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

Letcher,  of  Virginia,  offering  $30,000  to  the  patentee  of  tlie 
bullet-mould.  The  reply  was,  "  No  money  can  purchase  it 
against  the  country." 

— The  Council  of  Wilmington,  Del,  appropriated  $8,000 
to  defend  the  city,  and  passed  resolutions  approving  of  the 
President's  proclamation.  Also,  asking  the  Governor  to  issue 
a  proclamation  for  the  same  purpose.  The  Brandywine  bridges 
and  all  on  the  road  between  Susquehanna  and  Philadelphia  are 
guarded,  and  workmen  have  been  sent  to  repair  the  bridges 
destroyed  on  the  Northern  Central  road. 

— The  Missourians  seized  the  United  States  arsenal,  at 
Liberty,  Mo.,  and  garrisoned  it  with  100  men.  In  the  arsenal 
were  1,300  stand  of  arms,  ten  or  twelve  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
quite  an  amount  of  powder. 

— Two  thousand  stand  of  arms  were  furnished  the  citizens 
of  Leavenworth,  from  the  arsenal  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  and  the 
commander  ol  that  post  accepted  the  services  of  300  volun 
teers,  to  guard  the  arsenal,  pending  the  arrival  of  troops  from 
Fort  Kearney. 

—The  Federal  Government  takes  possession  of  the  railway 
between  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore. 

— General  Scott  telegraphed  to  John  J.  Crittenden,  of  Ken 
tucky,  who  had  questioned  him  by  telegraph  as  to  the  truth  of 
the  report  that  he  had  resolved  to  desert  the  Federal  cause : 
"  I  have  not  changed ;  have  no  thought  of  change  ;  always  a 
Union  man." 

April  21st  The  Mayor  of  Baltimore  had  an  interview  with 
the  President,  to  try  and  persuade  him  not  to  order  any  more 
troops  through  Maryland. 

— Arrival  in  New  York  of  the  Third  battalion  of  Massachu 
setts  rifles,  Major  Devens  commanding. 

— An  immense  mass  meeting  in  Boston  (it  being  Sunday) 
was  held  preparatory  to  raising  a  choice  regiment  for  Fletcher 
Webster  (son  of  Daniel  Webster).  It  became  a  popular  ova 
tion  before  its  close.  A  large  number  of  the  leading  citizens 
addressed  the  crowd  throughout  the  day. 

— The  First  Rhode  Island  regiment  passed  through  New 


OF    THE    WAR.  23 

York,  en,  route  for  Washington,  by  way  of  Annapolis.  It  sailed 
from  New  York  this  (Sunday)  evening,  in  company  with  the 
New  York  Sixth,  Twelfth,  and  Seventy-first  regiments  of  militia. 
The  crowd  was  dense  in  the  streets,  during  the  entire  day,  to 
witness  the  embarkation  of  the  regiments  on  the  transports. 
The  incidents  of  this  day  in  New  York  we  advert  to  in  a  suc 
ceeding  chapter. 

—The  North  Carolinians  seized  the  United  States  Branch 
Mint,  at  Charlotte,  in  that  State. 

— Great  gatherings  in  all  the  churches  throughout  the  North, 
to  hear  "  Sermons  on  the  Crisis."  Some  most  remarkable  de 
monstrations  were  witnessed.  In  Henry  Ward  Beechers 
church,  at  Brooklyn,  a  communication  was  read  from  the  Thir 
teenth  regiment  of  New  York  militia,  asking  for  help  in  uni 
forming  and  equipping  them  for  service.  Over  $1,100  were 
forthwith  contributed.  In  the  city  of  New  York  patriotism 
was  the  theme  of  discourse.  In  the  Broadway  Tabernacle,  the 
pastor,  Eev.  J.  P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  preached  a  sermon  in  the 
evening  on  "  God's  Time  of  Threshing."  The  choir  performed 
"  The  Marseillaise"-  to  a  hymn  composed  for  the  occasion  by  the 
pastor.  A  collection  was  taken  for  the  Volunteers'  Home 
Fund,  amounting  to  $450 — to  which  a  member  of  the  congre 
gation  afterwards  added  $10'0.  Dr.  Bethune's  sermon  was 
from  the  text :  "In  the  name  of  our  God  we  will  set  up  our 
banners."  In  Dr.'  Bellows'  church,  the  choir  sang  "  The  Star 
Spangled  Banner,"  which  was  vigorously  applauded  by  the 
whole  house.  At  Grace  Church,  (Episcopal,)  Dr.  Taylor  began 
by  saying,  "  The  Star  Spangled  Banner  has  been  insulted." 
The  gallant  Major  Anderson  and  his  wife  attended  service  at 
Trinity.  At  Dr.  McLane's  Presbyterian  Church,  Williams- 
burg,  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner"  was  sung.  Dr.  T.  D. 
Wells  (Old  School  Presbyterian)  preached  from  the  words : 
"  He" that  hath  no  sword,  let  him  buy  one."  Dr.  Osgood's  text 
was  :  "  Lift  up  a  standard  to  the  people."  The  religious  world 
certainly  never  before  witnessed  such  an  invasion  of  the  pul 
pit  Great  numbers  of  churches  were  organizing  companies, 


24  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

and  one  pastor,  Eev.  Dr.  Perry,  of  Brooklyn,  assumed  com 
mand  of  a  regiment 

— The  American  flag  was  publicly  buried  at  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  on  this  day,  amid  a  great  concourse  of  citizens.  The 
funeral  rites  were  read,  and  a  volley  fired  over  the  grave. 

April  22d.  Great  pressure  brought  to  bear  on  the  President 
to  procure  some  countermand  of  the  order  for  troops  to  march 
to  Washington.  One  delegation  of  thirty,  from  five  "  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations"  of  Baltimore,  had  a  prolonged 
interview,  but  made  no  impression  upon  him.  Governor 
Hicks  approached  him  with  a  communication,  again  urging 
the  withdrawal  of  troops  from  Maryland,  a  cessation  of  hostil 
ities,  and  a  reference  of  the  National  dispute  to  the  arbitrament 
of  Lord  Lyons.  To  this  the  Secretary  of  State  replied,  that 
the  troops  were  only  called  out  to  suppress  insurrection,  and 
must  come  through  Baltimore,  as  that  was  the  route  chosen 
for  them  by  the  Commander-in-Chief,  and  that  our  troubles 
could  not  be  "  referred  to  any  foreign  arbitrament." 

— Colonel  Kobert  E.  Lee,  late  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  is  named 
by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  forces 
of  that  State. 

— The  U.  S.  arsenal  at  Fayetteville,  N".  C.,  is  seized  by  the 
orders  of  Governor  Ellis.  The  Governor,  at  the  same  elate, 
called  out  30,000  troops,  in  addition  to  the  organized  militia, 
to  be  in  readiness  at  a  moment's  notice. 

— The  N.  Y.  city  Common  Council  appropriated  one  million 
of  dollars  for  equipping  and  caring  for  the  comfort  of  vol 
unteers. 

—The  N.  Y.  Twenty -fifth  militia  regiment  arrived  in  the 
city  from  Albany,  en  route  for  Washington. 

—The  N.  Y.  Seventh  and  Massachusetts  Eighth  regiments 
arrive,  by  transports  from  Philadelphia,  at  Annapolis,  where 
they  land  and  seize  the  railway  to  Washington,  The  troops 
of  the  Eighth  seized  the  frigate  Constitution — "  Old  Ironsides," 
which  was  in  danger  of  capture  by  the  Secessionists.  Genera] 
Butler,  in  his  order  congratulating  the  men  on  the  safety  of 


OF     THE     WAR.  25 

the  old  frigate,  said :  "  The  frigate  Constitution  has  lain  for  a 
long  time  at  this  port  substantially  at  the  mercy  of  the  armed 
mob  which  sometimes  paralyzes  the  otherwise  loyal  State  of 
Maryland.  Deeds  of  daring,  successful  contests,  and  glorious 
victories,  had  rendered  Old  Ironsides  so  conspicuous  in  the 
naval  history  of  the  country,  that  she  was  fitly  chosen  as  the 
school  in  which  to  train  the  future  officers  of  the  navy  to  like 
heroic  acts.  It  was  given  to  Massachusetts  and  Essex  county 
first  to  man  her ;  it  was  reserved  to  Massachusetts  to  have  the 
honor  to  retain  her  for  the  service  of  the  Union  and  the  laws." 
— The  Secretary  of  War  conveys  to  Major  Anderson  the  ap 
proval  of  the  Executive  of  his  conduct  in  the  defense  of  Fort 
Sumter,  viz. : 

"  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  ) 
April  23d,  1861.  j 

"Major   Robert  Anderson,    late    Commanding    Officer  at  Fort 

Sumter : 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  I  am  directed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  to  communicate  to  you,  and  through  you  to  the 
officers  and  men  under  your  command  at  Forts  Moultrie  and 
Sumter,  the  approbation  of  the  Government  of  your  and  their 
judicious  and  gallant  conduct  there  ;  and  to  tender  to  you  and 
them  the  thanks  of  the  Government  for  the  same. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully, 

"SIMON"  CAMEKON,  Secretary  of  War." 
— Father  Eafina,  priest  of  the  Montrose  Avenue  Catholic 
Church,  Williamsburg,  1ST.  Y.,  with  his  own  hands  raised  the 
American  flag  upon  the  top  of  his  church.  The  ceremony  was 
witnessed  by  at  least  two  thousand  people,  who  greeted  the 
glorious  emblem  with  cheer  after  cheer,  as  it  waved  majestic 
ally  over  the  sacred  edifice.  The  reverend  father  addressed 
the  assemblage  in  a  few  appropriate  remarks,  which  were  re 
ceived  with  marked  enthusiasm. 

— The  Charleston  Mercury  flings  defiance  at  the  North — call 
ing  Lincoln  a  usurper,  and  saying :  "he  will  deplore  the 
4  higher-law'  depravity  which  has  governed  his  counsels.  Seek 
ing  the  sword,  in  spite  of  all  moral  or  constitutional  restraints 

c  4 


26  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

and  obligations,  he  may  perish  by  the  sword.  He  sleeps  al 
ready  with  soldiers  at  his  gate,  and  the  grand  reception-room 
of  the  White  House  is  converted  into  quarters  for  troops  from 
Kansas — border  ruffians  of  Abolitionism." 

— A  fine  Union  meeting  was  held  in  Lexington,  Kentucky. 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  were  raised ;  the  people  generally  ex 
pressed  their  determination  to  adhere  to  them  to  the  last 
Speeches  were  made  by  Messrs.  Field,  Crittenden,  Codey,  and 
others.  The  most  unbounded  enthusiasm  prevailed,  and  the 
speakers  were  greeted  with  great  applause. 

April  23d.  The  feeling  in  the  South  at  this  date  may  be 
inferred  from  the  call  of  the  Governor  of  Louisiana  for  troops. 
He  said:  "The  Government  at  Washington,  maddened  by 
defeat  and  the  successful  maintenance  by  our  patriotic  people 
of  their  rights  and  liberties  against  its  mercenaries  in  the  har 
bor  of  Charleston,  and  the  determination  of  the  Southern 
people  forever  to  sever  themselves  from  the  Northern  Govern 
ment,  has  now  thrown  off  the  mask,  and,  sustained  by  the 
people  of  the  non-slaveholding  States,  is  actively  engaged  in 
levying  war,  by  land  and  sea,  to  subvert  your  liberties,  destroy 
your  rights,  and  to  shed  your  blood  on  your  own  soil  If  you 
have  the  manhood  to  resist,  rise,  then,  pride  of  Louisiana,  in 
your  might,  in  defense  of  your  dearest  rights,  and  drive  back 
this  insolent,  barbaric  force.  Like  your  brave  ancestry,  resolve 
to  conquer  or  perish  in  the  effort ;  and  the  flag  of  usurpation 
will  never  fly  over  Southern  soil  Bally,  then,  to  the  proclama 
tion  which  I  now  make  on  the  requisition  of  the  Confederate 
Government"  The  enthusiasm  in  the  South  was  represented 
as  equal  to  that  prevailing  in  the  North.  The  contest  was  re 
garded  as  a  war  of  sections,  and  the  South  seemed  to  entertain 
no  other  idea  but  that  of  the  complete  defeat  of  the  North. 
The  idea  generally  prevailed  that  a  Southern  soldier  was  equal 
to  five  Northern  "hirelings."  The  terms  used  to  characterize 
the  Northern  soldiers  were  very  offensive,  and  the  idea  seemed 
to  prevail  that  the  army  of  Federal  volunteers  was  composed 
of  the  very  lowest  scum  of  society.  As  Northern  papers  could 


OFTHEWAR.  27 

not  circulate  in  the  South,  the  people  really  never  knew  better, 
until  they  learned  at  the  bayonet's  point. 

— The  Western  Pennsylvania  regiments  pass  through  Phila 
delphia,  en  route  for  Washington,  by  way  of  Annapolis. 

— The  Eighth,  Sixty-ninth,  and  Thirteenth  regiments  of  New 
York  militia  start  for  Washington. 

— Sherman's  celebrated  battery,  consisting  of  ninety  men 
and  eight  howitzers,  passed  through  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  the 
route  to  Washington.  The  train  containing  the  troops  stopped 
in  Market  street,  between  Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth.  Imme 
diately  the  ladies  of  Benton  street  rushed  out,  and  vied  with 
each  other  in  their  attention  to  the  weary  soldiers.  Bread, 
meat,  pies,  and  cakes,  were  brought  forward  in  goodly  supplies, 
hundreds  of  girls  running  with  hot  dinners  just  from  the 
ranges ;  bakera  with  baskets  of  bread  and  cakes ;  fruiterers 
with  baskets  of  apples,  oranges,  etc.,  were  quickly  upon  the 
ground.  The  men  said  that  they  were  thirsty,  and  in  a  trice 
there  were  a  dozen  pretty  girls  handing  up  cups  of  water. 
After  the  battery  had  been  thus  refreshed,  a  collection  was 
taken  up,  and  the  soldiers  were  supplied  with  enough  cigars 
and  tobacco  to  last  for  some  days.  The  military  cheered  con 
tinually  for  the  ladies  of  Philadelphia,  and,  as  the  train  moved 
off,  they  gave  nine  hearty  cheers  for  Philadelphia,  the  Union, 
the  Constitution,  and  the  success  of  the  Federal  arms  in  the 
South. 

April  24th.  The  New  York  Twenty-fifth  regiment  of  militia 
sailed  for  Washington. 

— An  immense  Union  meeting  was  held  in  Detroit,  over 
which  General  Cass  presided.  His  speech  was  brief,  but 
strongly  loyal.  He  called  upon  all  citizens  to  stand  by  the 
Administration. 

—The  Faculty  and  students  of  the  Brown  High  School,  at 
Newburyport,  Mass.,  raised  the  American  flag  near  their  school 
building,  in  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  citizens.  Patriotic 
speeches  were  made  by  Caleb  Gushing,  and  others. 

April  25th.  General  Harney,  on  his  way  to  Washington, 
was  arrested  by  the  Virginia  authorities,  at  Harper's  Ferrv.  He 


28  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

left  Wheeling,  Virginia,  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  himself  at 
head-quarters  at  Washington.  Before  the  train  reached  Har 
per's  Ferry  it  was  stopped,  and  a  number  of  troops  mounted 
the  platforms ;  while  the  train  was  moving  slowly  on,  the 
troops  passed  through  the  cars,  and  the  General  being  pointed 
out,  he  was  immediately  taken  into  custody. 

— A  deputation  of  twenty  Indians,  headed  by  White  Cloud, 
in  behalf  of  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas,  arrived  in  New  York. 
They  tender  to  the  United  States,  in  behalf  of  themselves  and 
three  hundred  other  warriors,  their  services  against  rebellion. 
Having  heard  that  the  Cherokees  had  sided  with  the  rebels, 
they  could  not  remain  neutral,  and,  with  a  promptness  worthy 
of  imitation  in  high  quarters,  have  come  to  offer  their  services 
in  defense  of  the  Government  They  ask  to  be  armed  and  led. 

— A  second  detachment  of  Ehode  Islanders  arrived  in  New 
York,  bound  for  Washington.  The  New  York  Herald  said  : 
"As  a  proof  of  the  patriotic  spirit  which  animates  the  citi 
zens  of  Ehode  Island,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  a  man  named 
William  Dean,  who  lost  one  arm  in  the  Mexican  war,  is  now 
a  volunteer  in  this  corps,  being  willing  to  lose  another  limb  in 
defense  of  the  honor  of  his  country.  The  noble  fellow  carries 
his  musket  slung  behind  his  back,  but  it  is  said  when  the  hour 
comes  for  bloodier  action  he  can  use  it  with  as  good  effect  and 
expertness  as  if  in  possession  of  his  natural  appendages.  The 
regiment  also  carries  a  flag  which  was  borne  through  all  the 
terrors  of  the  Eevolution.  The  uniform  of  the  regiment  is 
light  and  comfortable  ;  it  consists  of  a  blue  flannel  blouse,  gray 
pants,  and  the  army  regulation  hat  The  volunteers  bring 
along  with  them  two  very  prepossessing  young  women,  named 
Martha  Francis  and  Katey  Brownell,  both  of  Providence,  who 
propose  to  act  as  '  daughters  of  the  regiment,'  after  the  French 
plan." 

— The  N.  Y.  Seventh  arrived  at  Washington  to-day,  and 
were  welcomed  with  great  demonstrations  of  joy.  They  were 
the  first  regiment  to  reach  tKe  Capital  after  the  Massachusetts 
Sixth.  The  Massachusetts  Eighth  almost  immediately  followed 
the  Seventh  into  the  city.  With  these  troops  Washington 


OF     THE     WAR.  29 

was  pronoy  no^  Sevfe.  Prom  this  date  troops  constantly  poured 
into  the  Capital,  bj  ibe  Annapolis  route.  The  route  by 
Baltimore  and  the  NualibfB  Central  railroad  was  not  opened 
until  May  13th. 

— Virginia  transferred  ^o  the  Southern  Confederacy,  by 
treaty  between  the  State  Con  vention  and  Mr.  Stephens,  Yice- 
President  of  the  Confederate  States.  By  this  transaction  the 
people  were  literally  "  sold  out  of  house  and  home." 

April  26th.  A  correspondent  of  a  Boston  journal,  writing 
from  the  "West,  over  which  he  was  travelling,  said  of  the  feel 
ing  prevailing  in  that  section  :  "  The  enthusiasm  of  the  people 
at  the  West,  in  rallying  for  the  defense  of  the  Union,  far  ex 
ceeds  the  expectations  of  the  most  sanguine.  Throughout  the 
entire  North-west  there  is  a  perfect  unanimity  of*  sentiment. 
Ten  days  ago,  men  who  now  cry,  down  with  the  rebels,  were 
apologizing  for  the  South — -justifying  its  action,  and  wishing 
it  success.  Every  town  in  Illinois  is  mustering  soldiers,  and 
many  of  the  towns  of  five  or  six  thousand  inhabitants,  have 
two  and  three  companies  ready  for  action.  Companies  are 
also  formed  for  drill,  so  that,  in  case  of  need,  they  will  be  pre 
pared  to  march  at  any  moment.  Money  is  poured  out  freely 
as  water,  and  ladies  unite  in  making  shirts,  blankets,  and  even 
coats  and  pants  for  the  soldiers.  Arrangements  have  been 
made  to  take  care  of  the  families  of  the  soldiers  during  their 
absence.  All  say,  none  shall  fight  the  battles  of  their  country 
at  their  own  expense." 

— The  bridges  over  Gunpowder  Eiver,  on  the  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington,  and  Baltimore  Eailroad,  were  burned  by  the 
rebels  of  Baltimore.  The  bridge  over  Bush  Kiver,  on  the 
same  route,  had  been  destroyed  the  evening  previous.  The 
mob  still  reigned  in  Baltimore,  although  the  loyal  press  of 
the  city  represented  that  the  "conservative"  sentiment  was 
growing. 

—The  Seventh  regiment  of  New  York  took  the  oath  to  sup 
port  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  at  the  War  Depart 
ment,  in  Washington,  to-day.  Not  a  man  hesitated  The 
scene  was  most  impressiva 


30  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

— Many  Southern  men,  still  in  the  employ  of  the  Depart 
ments,  at  Washington,  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
They  all  "  resigned"  and  took  their  way  South  to  give  their 
services  to  the  Slave  States. 

April  27th.  Great  numbers  of  Virginians  whose  loyalty  to 
the  Constitution  forbade  them  to  sustain  the  high-handed 
tyranny  of  the  State  Convention,  are  passing  North  to  escape 
persecution.  The  outrages  perpetrated  on  the  Unionists  of 
that  State  are  daily  becoming  more  atrocious.  The  State  is  in 
possession  of  the  Confederate  forces,  and  the  Secession  cut 
throats  have  it  all  their  own  way.  The  mob  everywhere  ap 
propriate  to  their  own  use  whatever  they  may  fancy ;  farmers 
are  stopped  on  the  road,  their  horses  taken  from  them  under 
the  plea  that  they  are  for  the  defense  of  the  South ;  granaries 
are  searched,  and  everything  convertible  for  food  for  either 
man  or  beast,  carried  off.  This  has  been  practiced  to  such  an 
extent  that,  along  the  northern  border  of  Virginia,  a  reaction 
is  taking  place,  and  instructions  are  being  sent  from  "Western 
Maryland,  to  the  Delegates  at  Annapolis,  that  if  they  vote  for 
secession  the  people  will  hang  them  on  their  return  home.  The 
news  of  the  unanimous  sentiment  of  the  North,  the  prompt 
and  decisive  action  on  the  part  of  the  State  Governments  in 
enlisting  men,  has  strengthened  the  Union  men  of  Western 
Maryland  and  the  border  counties  of  Virginia, 

—The  "  New  York  Ladies'  Belief  Union"— one  of  the  or 
ganizations  devised  for  centralizing  the  efforts  of  women  in  be 
half  of  the  Union  cause — issue,  to-day,  their  circular,  setting 
forth  the  "  importance  of  systematizing  the  earnest  efforts  now 
making  by  the  women  of  New  York  for  the  supply  of  extra 
medical  aid  to  the  Federal  army,  through  the  present  cam 
paign." 

— Mr.  Lincoln  issues  his  supplementary  proclamation,  includ 
ing  the  coasts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  in  the  order  of 
blockade. 

April  28th.  The  Daylight,  the  first  steamer  direct  from  New 
York,  via  Potomac,  reached  Washington  at  ten  A.  M.  Many 
lights  were  out  on  the  Virginia  coast,  and  many  buoys  had 


OF     THE     WAR.  31 

been  destroyed  by  the  rebels.  The  Daylight  came  without 
convoy.  She  had  no  guns,  except  one  howitzer,  which  Cap 
tain  Yiele  obtained  from  the  Pocahontas,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Potomac.  Captain  Yiele  and  the  one  hundred  and  seventy 
two  recruits  for'  the  New  York  Seventh  regiment,  have  the 
honor  of  the  first  passage  up  the  Potomac. 

— The  New  York  Fifth  regiment  of  militia  leaves  to-day  for 
Annapolis,  in  the  British  steam  transport  Kedar.  This  regi 
ment,  commanded  by  Colonel  Schwartzwaelder,  is  composed 
almost  entirely  of  Germans. 

April  29th  B.  F.  Hallett,  of  Boston,  a  leading  man  in  the 
opposition  party  of  Massachusetts,  comes  out  strongly  for  the 
war,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Suffolk  bar. 

— Great  excitement  in  Tennessee,  consequent  on  the  seizure 
(April  26th)  at  Cairo,  by  the  Federal'  forces,  of  the  steamer 
Hittman,  laden  with  munitions  of  war.  Governor  Harris  or 
ders  $75,000  in  Tennessee  bonds,  and  $5,000  in  coin — all  in 
possession  of  the  United  States  Collector  at  Nashville,  to  be 
seized  as  a  reprisal. 

— Grand  military  review  in  New  Orleans,  of  troops  prepared 
to  march  North.  Thirty  thousand  people  turned  out  to  wit 
ness  the  pageant 

— Ellsworth's  Fire  Zouaves  left  New  York  for  Annapolis. 
A  grand  demonstration  was  made  by  the  New  York  city  fire 
department  in  honor  of  their  departure.  One  hundred  thou 
sand  people  were  gathered  in  the  route  of  their  march  to  wit 
ness  the  proceedings. 

April  30th.  Persons  from  the  South,  residing  in  Washing 
ton,  are  warned  to  leave  that  city  before  its  destruction  by  the 
Southern  army. 

— The  School-teachers  of  the  Boston,  Mass.,  schools,  relin 
quished  a  large  portion  of  their  salaries,  to  be  applied,  during 
the  war,  to  patriotic  purposes. 

— The  New  York  Yacht  Club  offer  the  Government  the  use 
of  all  their  craft  for  any  service  for  which  they  may  be  fitted. 

— Governor  Dennison,  of  Ohio,  reports  that,  up  to  this 
date,  71,000  volunteers  had  offered  to  meet  the  President's 


32  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

requisition  for  thirteen  regiments.  All  regiments  furnished 
by  the  State,  are  picked  men.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
offers  made  in  other  States.  It  is  now  known  that  an  army  of 
three  hundred  thousand  men  could  be  made  up  of  volunteers 
from  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  alone. 

Every  church  and  public  building  in  New  York,  Phila 
delphia  and  Boston,  is  surmounted  by  the  American  flag. 
Public  buildings  generally  throughout  the  North  are  thus 
decorated.  The  demand  for  bunting  is  so  great,  that  the  sup 
ply  is  exhausted,  and  flags  are  being  made  out  of  all  kinds  of 
materials  of  the  proper  color. 

—The  Twenty-eighth  regiment  of  New  York  militia  leaves 
Brooklyn  for  the  seat  of  war.  It  is  composed  of  the  best  class 
of  German  citizens — many  men  of  wealth  being  in  the  ranks. 
It  is  commanded  by  Colonel  Burnett  The  streets  were 
thronged  to  witness  its  departure. 

— The  Harvard  University  Medical  School  adopt  a  resolu 
tion,  viz. :  "  That « we,  the  members  of  the  Harvard  Medical 
School,  do  here  and  now  resolve  ourselves  into  a  volunteer 
medical  corps,  and  as  such  do  hereby  tender  our  services  to 
the  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth,  to  act  in  behalf  of  this 
State  or  country,  in  whatever  capacity  we  may  be  needed. 

— The  contributions  of  cities,  individuals,  Legislatures,  banks, 
etc.,  up  to  this  date,  to  the  patriotic  fund,  are  estimated  to  ex 
ceed  twenty-eight  millions  of  dollars.  Government  finds  its 
soldiers  literally  made  to  order — taking  the  field  armed  and 
equipped,  through  the  patronage  and  care  of  the  localities  from 
which  the  companies  and  regiments  came. 

This  will  end  our  Diary  of  Events,  occurring  in  the  brief 
space  of  fifteen  days.  What  a  record  !  The  world  never  read 
its  like.  It  will  be  read  by  our  descendants  with  astonishment 
Let  us  preserve  the  memory  of  these  days  to  inspire  our  ardor, 
to  strengthen  our  faith,  to  deepen  our  love  for  the  Union,  the 
Constitution  and  the  Laws  I 


II . 

THE      NEW      NATION. 

MEN  awakened  on  the  morning  of  April  14th  to  enter  upon 
the  New  Era  of  the  Eepublic.  The  hour  of  trial  had  come. 
The  people  of  the  North  were  to  say  if  the  Union  should  sur 
vive  or  perish — if  the  "  Great  Democratic  Experiment"  should 
ignominiously  fail,  or  should  assert  its  true  nobility  by  show 
ing  a  consolidated  front  to  revolution  and  disorganization. 
The  guns  which  opened  upon  Sumter  were  aimed  at  the  Na 
tional  heart,  which  the  fortress  typified  in  its  silent  grandeur 
as  it  lay  away  off  in  the  waters,  not  to  be  awakened  until  as 
sailed.  Would  the  Nation  protect  its  heart  ?  It  needed  only 
such  an  assault  to  send  the  blood  bounding  through  every 
loyal  bosom  ;  and  the  cry  "  TO  AEMS  I"  which  flew  over  the 
land,  answered  for  the  people.  Eent  into  factions,  divided  in 
sentiment,  antagonistic  in  personal  interests,  absorbed  in 
schemes  of  gain,  they  had  seemingly  lived  at  open  variance. 
As  " Eepublicans,"  "Democrats,"  "Unionists,"  "Conserva 
tives,"  "Abolitionists,"  "Pro-Slavery"  and  "Anti-Slavery" 
Extensionists,  they  had  harbored  bitter  differences  ;  but,  these 
all  melted  away  in  that  night  when  Major  Anderson  slept  in 
his  battered  fortress,  defeated  in  the  defense  of  his  assailed 
flag  ;  and  the  people  awoke  on  the  morning  of  Sumter's  evac 
uation  to  a  new  life — the  New  Nation  was  born.  All  partisan 
differences,  all  local  antipathies,  all  personal  dislikes,  were 
buried,  and  over  their  grave  arose  the  resurrected  patriotism 
which  had  too  long  slumbered.  Sumter  lost  but  Freedom 
won  when  the  madmen  put  the  Union  on  its  trial. 

We  cannot  better  convey  an  idea  of  the  astonishing  change 


34  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

that  came  over  the  people  than  to  recur  to  the  utterances  of 
the  press  chronicling  the  events  of  those  hours,  so  potent  with 
great  results  to  the  country. 

The  New  York  Herald,  up  to  the  hour  of  Sumter's  bom 
bardment,  was  inimical  to  the  Administration,  and  strongly  in 
favor  of  concessions  to  the  South.  After  that  event,  its  right 
hand  of  fellowship  was  withdrawn,  and,  with  the  common  sen 
timent  of  the  North,  it  declared  for  a  vigorous  policy  against 
the  revolutionists,  saying :  "  Whatever  opinions  may  have 
prevailed,  and  whatever  views  of  expediency  may  have  been 
advocated,  hitherto,  there  is  clearly  no  other  course  for  Gov 
ernment  to  pursue  now,  than  to  '  retake  the  places  and  prop 
erties'  that  have  been  seized  and  occupied,  in  the  Southern 
States.  Upon  this  point,  the  people  of  the  Northern  and 
Western  States  will  be  nearly  a  unit.  As  a  consequence,  past 
organizations  and  platforms  are  virtually  swept  away,  and 
none  of  the  issues  remain  of  present  importance  which  recently 
agitated  the  public  mind.  *  *  The  time  for  undue  excite 
ment  has  passed.  The  passing  events  of  each  hour  are  so  so 
lemn,  that  every  pulse  should  beat  equably,  and  every  aspi 
ration  be  for  a  speedy  restoration  of  the  Kepublic  to  peace, 
and  its  pristine  unity  and  greatness.  The  utmost  unanimity 
of  feeling  should  prevail  in  sustaining  the  only  policy  which  is 
any  longer  practicable ;  and  every  nerve  should  be  strained 
to  aid  the  Government  in  rendering  its  measures  as  efficient 
as  possible." 

The  Boston  Post,  the  organ  of  the  Breckenridge  Democracy, 
sent  forth  this  clarion  call :  "  The  uprising  is  tremendous  ;  and 
well  would  it  be  for  each  good  citizen,  South  and  North,  to 
feel  this  invasion  of  the  public  order  at  Fort  Sumter  as  his 
own  personal  concern.  In  reality  it  is  so.  There  is  left  no 
choice  but  between  a  support  of  the  Government  and  anarchy ! 
The  rising  shows  that  this  is  the  feeling.  The  Proclamation 
calls  for  seventy-five  thousand  men  ;  and  from  one  State  alone, 
Pennsylvania,  a  hundred  thousand  are  at  the  President'?  com 
mand  at  forty-eight  hours'  notice  !  Nor  is  this  all.  Capital 
ists  stand  ready  to  tender  millions  upon  millions  of  money  to 


OF    THE    WAR.  35 

sustain  the  grand  Government  of  the  Fathers.  Thus  the  civ 
ilized  world  will  see  the  mighty  energy  of  a  free  people,  sup 
plying  in  full  measure  the  sinews  of  war,  men  and  money,  out 
of  loyalty  to  the  supremacy  of  law.  Patriotic  citizen  !  choose 
you  which  you  will  serve,  the  world's  best  hope,  our  noble 
Eepublican  Government,  or  that  bottomless  pit,  social  anarchy. 
Adjourn  other  issues  until  this  self-preserving  issue  is  settled." 

The  Philadelphia  Inquirer  (Opposition)  spoke  as  well.  It 
said  :  "  '  Take  your  places  in  line.'  The  American  flag  trails 
in  the  dust  There  is  from  this  hour  no  longer  any  middle 
or  neutral  ground  to  occupy.  All  party  lines  cease.  Demo 
crats,  Whigs,  Americans,  Republicans  and  Union  men,  all 
merge  into  one  or  two  parties — patriots  or  traitors.  For  our 
selves,  we  are  not  prepared  for  either  or  any  form  of  govern 
ment  which  the  imagination  might  suggest  as  possible  or 
probable  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  a  republic.  "We  are  for  the 
Government  as  handed  down  to  us  by  our  fathers.  It  was 
consecrated  in  blood,  and  given  to  us  as  a  sacred  legacy.  It 
is  ours  to  live  by,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  it  shall  be  ours 
to  die  by.  We  will  have  it  and  none  other.  We  have  no 
political  feuds  or  animosities  to  avenge ;  we  know  no  cause 
save  to  wipe  an  insult  from  our  flag,  and  to  defend  and  main 
tain  an  assailed  Government  and  a  violated  Constitution.  We 
care  not  who  is  President,  or  what  political  party  is  in  power ; 
so  long  as  they  support  the  honor  and  the  flag  of  our  country, 
we  are  with  them  ;  those  who  are  not,  are  against  us — against 
our  flag — and  against  our  Government  '  Take  your  places 
in  line !' " 

The  ISfew  York  Times  correctly  stated  the  facts  and  hopes 
of  the  hour  in  its  issue  of  April  16th.  It  said  :  "  The  inci 
dents  of  the  last  two  days  will  live  in  history.  Not  for  fifty 
years  has  such  a  spectacle  been  seen,  as  that  glorious  uprising 
of  American  loyalty  which  greeted  the  news  that  open  war 
had  been  commenced  upon  the  Constitution  and  Government 
of  the  United  States.  The  great  heart  of  the  American  peo 
ple  beat  with  one  high  pulsation  of  courage,  and  of  fervid  love 
and  devotion  to  the  great  Republic.  Party  dissensions  were 


36  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

instantly  hushed ;  political  differences  disappeared,  and  were 
as  thoroughly  forgotten  as  if  they  had  never  existed ;  party 
bonds  flashed  into  nothingness  in  the  glowing  flame  of  patriot 
ism  ;  men  ceased  to  think  of  themselves  or  their  parties — they 
thought  only  of  their  country  and  of  the  dangers  which  men 
aced  its  existence.  Nothing  for  years  has  brought  the  hearts 
of  all  the  people  so  close  together,  or  so  inspired  them  all  with 
common  hopes,  and  common  fears,  and  a  common  aim,  as  the 
bombardment  and  surrender  of  an  American  fortress. 

"  We  look  upon  this  sublime  outburst  of  public  sentiment 
as  the  most  perfect  vindication  of  popular  institutions — the 
most  conclusive  reply  to  the  impugners  of  American  loyalty, 
the  country  has  ever  seen.  It  has  been  quite  common  to  say 
that  such  a  Eepublic  as  ours  could  never  be  permanent,  be 
cause  it  lacked  the  conditions  of  a  profound  and  abiding  loy 
alty.  The  Government  could  never  inspire  a  patriotic  instinct, 
fervid  enough  to  melt  the  bonds  of  party,  or  powerful  enough 
to  override  the  selfishness  which  free  institutions  so  rapidly 
develop.  The  hearts  of  our  own  people  had  begun  to  sink 
within  them,  at  the  apparent  insensibility  of  the  public,  to  the 
dangers  which  menaced  the  Government.  The  public  mind 
seemed  to  have  been  demoralized — the  public  heart  seemed 
insensible  to  perils  which  threatened  utter  extinction  to  our 
great  Eepublic.  The  secession  movement,  infinitely  the  most 
formidable  danger  which  has  ever  menaced  our  Government, 
was  regarded  with  indifference,  and  treated  as  merely  a  novel 
form  of  our  usual  political  contentions.  The  best  among  us 
began  to  despair  of  a  country  which  seemed  incompetent  to 
understand  its  dangers,  and  indifferent  to  its  own  destruction. 

"  But  all  this  is  changed.  The  cannon  which  bombarded 
Sumter  awoke  strange  echoes,  and  touched  forgotten  chords  in 
the  American  heart.  American  Loyalty  leaped  into  instant 
life,  and  stood  radiant  and  ready  for  the  fierce  encounter. 
From  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other — in  the  crowded  streets 
of  cities,  and  in  the  solitude  of  the  country — wherever  the 
splendor  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  the  glittering  emblems  of 
our  country's  glory,  meets  the  eye,  come  forth  shouts  of  devo- 


OF    THE    WAR.  37 

tion  and  pledges  of  aid,  which  give  sure  guarantees  for  the 
perpetuity  of  American  Freedom.  War  can  inflict  no  scars  on 
such  a  people.  It  can  do  them  no  damage  which  time  cannot 
repair.  It  cannot  shake  the  solid  foundations  of  their  material 
prosperity — while  it  will  strengthen  the  manly  and  heroic  vir 
tues,  which  defy  its  fierce  and  frowning  front. 

1 '  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  war — even  Civil  War — is 
the  greatest  evil  that  can  afflict  a  nation.  The  proudest  and 
noblest  nations  on  the  earth  have  the  oftenest  felt  its  fury,  and 
have  risen  the  stronger,  because  the  braver,  from  its  over 
whelming  wrath.  "War  is  a  far  less  evil  than  degradation — • 
than  the  national  and  social  paralysis  which  can  neither  feel  a 
wound  nor  redress  a  wrong.  When  War  becomes  the  only 
means  of  sustaining  a  nation's  honor,  and  of  vindicating  its 
just  and  rightful  supremacy,  it  ceases  to  be  an  evil,  and  be 
comes  the  source  of  actual  and  positive  good.  If  we  are 
doomed  to  assert  the  rightful  supremacy  of  our  Constitution 
by  force  of  arms,  against  those  who  would  overthrow  and  de 
stroy  it,  we  shall  grow  the  stronger  and  the  nobler  by  the  veiy 
contest  we  are  compelled  to  wage. 

"  We  have  reason  to  exult  in  the  noble  demonstration  of 
American  loyalty,  which  the  events  of  the  last  few  days  have 
called  forth  from  every  quarter  of  the  country.  Millions  of 
freemen  rally  with  exulting  hearts,  around  our  country's  stand 
ard.  The  great  body  of  our  people  have  but  one  heart  and 
one  purpose  in  this  great  crisis  of  our  history.  Whatever  may 
be  the  character  of  the  contest,  we  have  no  fears  or  misgivings 
as  to  the  final  issue." 

Particularly  referring  to  the  unanimity  of  the  political  lead 
ers  in  support  of  the  Administration,  the  New  York  Courier 
sand.  Inquirer  of  May  2d,  said:  "We  have  all  witnessed  the 
sudden  transformation  of  the  scene-painter's  art — a  whistle,  a 
creak  of  a  wheel,  and  in  place  of  a  cottage,  a  palace ! — a  sigh 
ing  maiden  is  followed  by  an  exultant  conqueror  ;  and  seeing 
these  delusions  of  the  canvas,  we  have  accustomed  ourselves 
to  look  upon  it  as  a  trick  of  the  drama,  and  never  in  our  ex 
perience  to  be  paralleled  by  the  actual  We  are  to  see  all 
D 


38  INCIDENTS    AND     ANECDOTES 

strange  things  in  the  nineteenth  century,  and  of  the  very 
strangest  is  the  sudden  change  of  a  Northern  people  from  a 
race  of  quiet,  patient,  much-enduring,  calm,  *  consistent  mem 
bers  of  the  Peace  Society,'  willing  to  compromise  to  the  last 
possible  interpolation  of  the  Constitution,  to  a  gathering  of 
armed  men,  backing  up  courage  by  cash,  and  coming  together 
with  a  union  of  the  purse  and  the  sword,  which  is  to  be  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  chapters  that  history  ever  wrote. 

"  The  Macaulay  of  American  annals  will  record  that  in  one 
brief,  earnest,  intense  ten  of  days,  the  chain  of  party  melted  ; 
the  organization  of  party  shivered ;  the  leaders  of  opposing 
opinions  were  as  brethren ; — Seward,  Douglas,  Dix,  even  Caleb 
dishing,  wrote  a  full  acquittance  of  past  t  political  strife,  and 
declared  that  the  life  of  their  political  doctrine  was  -the  preser 
vation  of  the  country's  honor.  Who  shall  ever  despair  of  a 
nation  after  this  ?  If  from  our  quarrels,  our  pale  compromises, 
our  bondage  to  the  exchange  and  to  the  warehouse,  from  all 
the  indolence  of  prosperity,  such  a  transformation  to  the  camp 
of  a  brave  and  united  soldiery,  a  close  and  compact  counsel — 
the  purse  inverted  over  the  soldier's  needs — the  struggle  who 
shall  quickest  forget  his  party  watch-word,  and  learn  that  of 
the  Hue  of  battle — if  this  new  life  has  thus  sprung,  the  philos 
opher  of  history  must  learn  of  us  new  ideas  of  the  power  of  a 
free  people. 

"  The  Revolution  of  1776  witnessed  no  such  union.  More 
families  left  New  York  and  her  sister  colonies,  because  they 
would  not  show  steel  to  King  George,  (and  that  when  New 
York  had  population  only  of  thousands  where  it  now  has  hun 
dreds  of  thousands,)  than  have  now  suggested  doubts  of  our 
right  from  all  the  vast  numbers  of  the  Northern  States.  We 
cannot  even  yet  realize  the  change  these  ten  days  have 
wrought.  We  are  like  those  who  bring  all  their  valuables  to 
the  fire  of  the  furnace,  and  recast  the  compound.  That  ]  >ro- 
cess  is  now  in  our  rnidst.  Does  any  man  suppose  we  are  to 
be  fused  in  just  such  party  shape  again?  Differ  we  shall — 
but  the  gold  has  been  tried,  and  the  great  fact  established,  that 
those  dwelling  in  the  Northern  States  have  that  devotion  to 


OF     THE     WAK.  39 

the  country  at  whose  call  the  mother  gives  her  son  to  the 
battle,  the  capitalist  his  treasure  to  the  cause,  and  men  blend 
as  a  Nation.  Were  we  ever  a  Nation  before  ? 

"All  lineages — the  Mayflower  man  zs  in  the  front  rank  only 
to  be  met  in  line  by  those  who  look  back  to  Delffc  'Haven.  I 
have  found  the  warmest  thought  and  act  in  those  who  but  a 
month  since  were  doubtful  of  the  patriotism  of  those  of  us  who 
could  not  see  the  merit  of  *  compromise.'  The  voice  of  Ed 
ward  Everett  rings  out  its  call  to  arms — the  men  who  have 
risked  to  offend  the  North  by  their  ultra  Southern  views,  have 
thrown  all  aside  as  the  call  for  Union  for  the  country's  honor 
reached  them." 

Thus  it  was  that  the  New  Nation  sprang  into  existence,  to 
redeem  the  past  and  plant  anew  the  tree  of  Liberty  and  Union, 
which  the  conspirators  had  so  nearly  torn  up  and  shattered. 


III. 

THE     MUSTERING. 

WHO  shall  tell  the  story  of  the  gathering  of  those  who  flew 
to  arms  at  the  call  ?  Every  company  of  those  first  forward 
has  its  chapter  of  incidents  honorable  to  its  patriotic  devotion 
and  creditable  to  its  intelligence.  Every  regiment  has  its  re 
cord  of  patriotism  and  self-sacrifice,  for  in  its  ranks  stood  those 
whom  no  mercenary  motive  had  impelled  to  arms.  Doctors, 
lawyers,  merchants,  students,  mechanics,  were  there — all  de 
serting  business  and  home  to  encounter  the  toils,  privations, 
sufferings,  and  dangers  of  military  service.  The  Massachusetts, 
New  York,  and  Ehode  Island  militia  regiments  which  were 
first  ready,  and,  in  a  few  days,  were  on  the  way  to  Washington, 
were  composed  almost  entirely  of  citizens  of  the  most  respect- 


40  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

able  character — men,  wliose  intelligence  and  social  standing 
rendered  them  eminently  fit  to  become  the  guardians  of  the 
Capital  and  pioneers  of  the  immense  host  to  follow.  How 
their  souls  must  have  scorned  the  foe  who  called  them 
"  menials,"  "  mercenaries,"  "  hirelings,"  "  Hessians  ! "  *  The 
press  of  the  South  almost  generally  resorted  to  such  epithets, 
and  sedulously  sought  to  disseminate  the  idea  that  the  Northern 
volunteers  were  drawn  from  the  lowest  classes.  Thus  the 
Mobile  Advertiser  characterized  them,  and  welcomed  them  to 
Southern  graves : 

"These  volunteers  are  men  who  prefer  enlisting  to  starvation; 
scurvy  fellows  from  the  back  slums  of  cities,  whom  Falstaff  would  not 
have  marched  through  Coventry  with ;  but  these  recruits  are  not  sol 
diers — least  of  all  the  soldiers  to  meet  the  hot-blooded,  thorough  bred, 
impetuous  men  of  the  South.  Trencher  soldiers,  who  enlisted  to  war 
upon  their  rations,  not  on  men ;  they  are  such  as  marched  through 
Baltimore — squalid,  wretched,  ragged,  and  half-naked — as  the  news 
papers  of  that  city  report  them.  Fellows  who  do  not  know  the  breech 
of  a  musket  from  its  muzzle,  and  had  rather  filch  a  handkerchief  than 
fight  an  enemy  in  manly  combat.  White-slaves,  peddling  wretches, 
small-change  knaves,  and  vagrants,  the  dregs  and  offscourings  of  the 
populace ;  these  are  the  levied  '  forces'  whom  Lincoln  suddenly  arrays 
as  candidates  for  the  honor  of  being  slaughtered  by  gentlemen — such  as 
Mobile  sent  to  battle.  Let  them  come  South,  and  we  will  put  our  ne 
groes  to  the  dirty  work  of  killing  them.  But  they  will  not  come  South. 
Not  a  wretch  of  them  will  live  on  this  side  of  the  border,  longer  than 
it  will  take  us  to  reach  the  ground  and  drive  them  off." 

Under  the  chapter  head  "  The  Spirit  of  the  South,"  we  shall 
give  further  evidences  of  that  malignancy  of  the  Southern  heart 
which  was  one  of  the  prime  causes  of  the  Rebellion : — the 
above  extract  we  introduce  to  show,  at  this  point  what  a  differ 
ence  there  was  between  the  North  and  South,  as  exemplified 
in  the  relative  spirit  and  character  of  their  volunteers. 

Adjutant-General  Schouler,  of  Massachusetts,  in  his  Report 

*  Private  Moses  Jenkins,  of  the  Rhode  Island  First,  was  worth  one 
million  dollars.  Others  in  the  same  regiment  were  worth  their  tens 
of  thousands.  Mr.  Jenkins  had  arranged  for  a  tour  to  Europe,  and 
had  purchased  his  ticket.  At  the  call  he  tore  up  his  ticket  and  fol 
lowed  his  regiment. 


OF     THE     WAR.  41 

for  1861,  referred  to  some  of  the  incidents  illustrative  of  the 
alacrity  with  which  the  men  came  to  the  first  call.  He  said  : 
"The  first  call  for  troops  was  by  a  telegram  from  Senator  Wil 
son,  dated  at  "Washington,  April  15th,  requesting  twenty  com 
panies  to  be  sent  immediately  to  Washington,  and  there 
mustered  into  service.  This  order  was 

sent  by  mail  and  by  special  messengers  to  the  Colonels,  who 
severally  resided  at  Lowell,  Quincy,  New  Bedford,  and  Lynn. 
The  companies  were  scattered  through  the  cities  and  towns  of 
Plymouth,  Bristol,  Norfolk,  Essex,  and  Middlesex  counties. 

"In  obedience  to  orders,  nearly  every  company  in  the  above 
regiments  arrived  in  Boston  the  next  day.  The  first  were  three 
infantry  companies  from  Marblehead,  under  Captains  Martin, 
Phillips,  and  Boarclman.  They  arrived  at  the  Eastern  depot 
at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  were  welcomed  by  a  large  multitude 
of  people,  who  cheered  the  gallant  and  devoted  men  as  they 
marched  to  their  quarters  at  Faneuil  Hall,  through  rain  and 
sleet,  to  the  music  of  *  Yankee  Doodle.'  During  the  entire 
day  the  troops  arrived  at  Boston  by  the  different  railroad 
trains. 

"  Captain  Pratt,  in  command  of  the  Worcester  company, 
received  his  order  to  join  the  Sixth  regiment  late  in  the  after 
noon  of  the  16th,  and  he  was  in  Boston  with  his  full  command 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th.  It  was  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening  of  the  16th  before  your  Excellency  decided  to  attach 
the  commands  of  Captains  Sampson  and  Dike  to  the  Sixth 
regiment.  A  messenger  was  dispatched  to  Stoneham,  with 
orders  for  Captain  Dike.  He  reported  to  me  at  eight  o'clock 
the  next  morning,  that  he  found  Captain  Dike  at  his  house  in 
Stoneham,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  placed  your 
Excellency's  orders  in  his  hands ;  that  he  read  them,  and  said : 
1  Tell  the  Adjutant-General  that  I  shall  be  at  the  State  House 
with  my  full  company  by  eleven  o'clock  to-day.'  True  to  his 
word,  he  reported  at  the  time,  and  that  afternoon,  attached  to 
the  Sixth,  the  company  left  for  Washington.  Two  days  after 
ward,  on  the  19th  of  April,  during  that  gallant  march  through 
Baltimore,  which  is  now  a  matter  of  history,  Captain  Dike 
D2  6 


42  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

was  shot  down  while  leading  his  company  through  the  mob. 
Several  of  his  command  were  killed  and  wounded,  and  he 
received  a  wound  in  the  leg,  which  will  render  him  a  cripple 
for  life." 

The  spirit  of  New  York  loyalty  was  betrayed  in  the  eager 
attention  given  by  all  classes  to  the  mustering  and  movements 
of  the  regiments.  The  New  York  Seventh,  chiefly  composed 
of  the  young  men  of  wealthy  families,  volunteered  to  go  on  to 
Washington  and  remain  there  one  month,  or  longer  if  neces 
sary  for  the  safety  of  the  Capital.  It  left  the  city  amidst  the 
greatest  excitement,  April  19th.  April  21st,  it  was  followed  by 
the  New  York  Seventy-first,  Twelfth,  and  Sixth  regiments,  all 
of  the  organized  State  militia,  which  volunteered  as  regiments, 
for  the  three  months  service.  The  Sixty -ninth,  Eighth,  and 
Thirteenth,  started  forward  April  23d.  It  was  thus  the  Em 
pire  State  answered,  with  her  choice  troops,  the  first  calls  for 
aid.  The  departure  of  the  regiments,  by  transports,  April 
21st,  (Sunday,)  was  accompanied  by  such  popular  manifesta 
tions,  as  to  be  worthy  of  record.  From  the  report  prepared 
for  the  press  we  gather  these  paragraphs  : 

"  The  usual  quiet  of  our  city  on  the  Sabbath-day  was  broken 
at  an  early  hour,  yesterday,  with  the  note  of  preparation  for 
the  departure  of  the  Sixth,  Twelfth,  and  Seventy-first  regi 
ments,  to  whom  orders  had  been  issued  on  the  day  previous. 
The  flags  that  had  the  day  before  been  thrown  to  the  breeze 
were  generally  still  flying,  and  squads  of  recruits,  with  drum 
and  fife,  paraded  the  streets  for  an  early  airing.  Officers  in 
undress  uniform  may  be  seen,  with  an  air  of  business,  hurrying 
in  different  directions ;  and  the  chimes  of  Old  Trinity  mingled 
with  the  boom  of  cannon  fired  in  the  Park  By  nine  o'clock 
the  multitudes  began  to  swarm  the  streets,  and  Broadway  bade 
fair  to  furnish  a  repetition  of  the  patriotic  scene  of  the  day  pre 
vious.  The  Sunday  papers,  in  consequence  of  the  surveillance 
under  which  the  telegraph  had  passed,  did  not  contain  the 
gossiping  dispatches  which  the  public  have  so  long  been  accus 
tomed  to  find.  In  this  respect  there  was  a  void. 

"  The  Armories  presented  an  animated  scene.     In  front  of 


OF     THE     WAR.  43 

them  the  streets  were  filled  with  the  patriotic  masses,  and  the 
police  experienced  difficulty  in  keeping  a  passage  open  for  the 
ingress  and  egress  of  those  who  were  entitled  to  enter.  Kone 
were  allowed  inside  but  members  of  the  corps,  their  immediate 
friends,  or  those  in  some  way  connected  with  their  movements, 
and  the  reporters.  Inside  all  was  business  and  bustle,  not  to 
any  confusion.  Here  and  there  were  mothers  and  sisters  part 
ing  with  sons  and  brothers,  or  with  motherly  and  sisterly  interest 
were  engaged  in  assisting  to  arrange  the  blankets  and  pack  the 
soldier's  limited  baggage,  to  which  there  was  certain  to  be 
added  some  memento  or  other  thing  that  relates  to  his  comfort 
and  welfare.  Words  of  patriotic  encouragement  and  tenderest 
affection  were  spoken  at  leave-takings.  But  these  had  gene 
rally  been  spoken  at  home,  where  we  could  not  penetrate, 
though  we  might  recite  many  a  touching  scene,  where  parents 
gave  up  their  sons,  and  wives  their  husbands  to  serve  their 
country. 

"  It  was  shortly  after  ten  o'clock  when  the  regiments  began 
to  form  on  Bond  street,  leading  to  Broadway.  Hither  the 
people  had  thronged  in  immense  numbers,  and  what  was 
among  the  noticeable  things,  was  the  presence  in  that  vicinity 
and  down  Broadway,  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  Fire  Engines, 
and  Hook  and  Ladder  Companies,  including  two  Steam  Engines. 
It  was  appropriate,  for  hundreds  of  those  about  to  leave  have 
long  served  in  the  Department,  or  at  least,  in  the  expressive 
parlance  of  the  day,  have  '  run  with  the  machine'  many  a 
year.  In  the  hour  that  elapsed,  the  crowd  in  Broadway 
swelled  to  the  large  proportions  which  we  are  accustomed  to 
see  only  on  great  occasions.  At  the  junction  with  Canal  street, 
it  was  the  largest,  because  the  Sixth  regiment  would  at  this 
point  leave  Broadway,  and  proceed  to  the  Baltic,  at  the  foot  of 
Canal  street.  While  waiting  for  its  appearance,  '  The  Star- 
Spangled  Banner,'  'Hail  Columbia,'  '  Eed,  White  and  Blue,' 
and  other  similar  airs,  were  sung  b}r  thousands  of  voices. 

"  It  was  about  twelve  o'clock  when  the  Sixth  regiment  moved 
from  their  armory  down  Broadway.  It  was  the  signal  for  the 
wildest  outburst  The  shouts  and  cheers  which  rose  from  the 


44  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

multitude  at  the  junction  of  these  two  streets,  were  caught  up 
and  prolonged  almost  the  whole  length  of  Broadway.  At  every 
step  the  soldiers  were  greeted  with  the  wildest  demonstrations, 
not  only  from  the  people  that  lined  the  streets,  but  from  the 
windows  and  the  roofs  of  buildings  on  the  route.  More  than 
once  a  mother  darted  from  the  crowd,  and  in  spite  of  police  or 
other  restraints,  gave  her  son  a  parting  kiss — only  one — for 
the  column  moved  on,  and  the  boy  was  a  soldier  now,  bound 
for  the  seat  of  war,  and  there  was  no  such  thing  as  stopping. 
Discipline  could  not  restrain  adieus  between  old  friends,  who 
would  shake  hands,  and  give  and  take  hastily  spoken  but 
hearty  good-byes.  The  Twelfth  and  Seventy-first  regiments 
followed,  when  there  was  a  repetition  of  the  scenes  of  the 
previous  half-hour. 

"  So  great  was  the  throng  in  Canal  street  that  it  was  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  that  the  police  force  could  clear  the  way 
for  the  Sixth  to  pass.  The  crowd  was  entirely  good-natured, 
but  enthusiastic,  and  determined  to  extend  its  greetings  to  the 
soldiers  from  a  position  as  close  as  they  could  assume.  The 
Sixth  was  accompanied  by  several  files  of  citizens  as  an  escort, 
but  the  multitude  mistook  all  in  citizens'  clothes  for  volun 
teers,  and  cheered  them  tremendously.  At  the  foot  of  Canal 
street  there  were  thousands  of  ladies  congregated — the  windows 
and  roofs  of  the  houses  commanding  a  view  of  the  pier  teem 
ing  with  crinoline  and  female  apparel.  Monahan's  band,  which 
headed  the  regiment,  here  struck  up  that  favorite  soldier's  air, 
1  The  Girl  I  left  behind  me,'  which  was  received  with  tremen 
dous  cheering  and  waving  of  hats  and  handkerchiefs. 

"  Arriving  on  the  covered  pier,  the  regiment  was  marched 
on  board  the  Baltic,  taking  position  on  the  upper  deck.  Then 
came  the  order,  '  All  who  are  not  going  to  fight,  ashore  ;'  the 
last  farewell  was  hastily  spoken ;  hands  which  might  never 
be  clasped  again  were  clasped  for  a  parting  shake,  and  a  stamp 
for  the  gang  plank  followed.  But  the  vessel  sailed  not ;  and 
as  the  quarter-hours  succeeded  each  other,  the  crowd  on  the 
piers,  sheds  and  contiguous  vessels,  began  to  grow  impatient. 
Gradually  they  began  to  depart,  confident  that  some  misman- 


OFTHEWAE.  45 

agement  would  prevent  the  sailing  of  the  Baltic  for  some 
hours.  Still  hundreds  of  people  lingered,  anxious  to  wave 
their  hats  after  the  departing  regiment,  but  their  patience  was 
rapidly  becoming  exhausted  when  the  announcement  came 
that  the  Twelfth  regiment  was  soon  expected  to  arrive.  This 
brought  the  multitude  back  in  such  numbers  that  for  a  time 
the  efforts  of  the  police  to  keep  a  passage  clear  were  unavail 
ing.  The  glitter  of  bayonets  was  soon  seen  in  Canal  street, 
and  the  Twelfth  regiment,  accompanied  by  a  cheering  throng, 
approached.  Arriving  at  the  gate  leading  to  the  pier  at  which 
the  Baltic  lay,  the  regiment  halted  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or 
more.  This  delay  was  improved  by  hundreds  of  persons  to 
engage  in  conversation  with  departing  friends,  or  to  add  the 
last  item  to  their  stock  of  comforts,  not  to  mention  luxuries. 
Cigars  and  tobacco  were  freely  distributed  among  the  recruits, 
most  of  whom  appeared  with  no  other  uniform  than  knap 
sacks,  belts,  blankets,  and  muskets.  One  young  man  broke 
through  the  line  of  policemen,  and  forcibly  seizing  a  young 
recruit,  attempted  to  drag  him  away.  The  young  soldier  re 
sisted,  and  the  police  interfered,  when  it  appeared  that  the  re 
cruit  was  the  only  brother  of  the  one  who  had  seized  him,  and 
the  latter  contended  that  his  brother  was  too  young  to  become 
a  soldier.  The  patriotic  youth  would  not  yield,  however,  and 
so,  after  a  hasty  and  affectionate  parting  with  his  weeping  bro 
ther,  he  resumed  his  place  in  the  line,  and  marched  onward. 

"  The  Twelfth  was  eventually  admitted  on  the  pier,  when  the 
cause  of  the  delay  was  made  known.  The  mismanagement 
of  some  person  in  authority  had  got  the  two  regiments  most 
effectually  mixed.  It  was  intended  that  the  Twelfth  regiment 
should  sail  by  the  Baltic,  and  their  baggage  had  accordingly 
been  stowed  in  the  hold  of  that  vessel.  The  Sixth  regiment 
received  orders  to  march  to  the  Baltic,  and  they  complied  im 
mediately  by  taking  possession  of  the  ship.  The  consequence 
was,  that  the  members  of  the  Twelfth  regiment  were  forced  to 
dispose  themselves  as  best  they  could  among  the  bales  of  hay 
and  other  freight  on  the  pier.  Many  of  these  soldiers  were 
worn  out  with  the  fatigue  of  preparation,  and  had  contemplated 


4:6  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

a  good  rest  on  shipboard,  but  in  this  they  were  mistaken. 
Added  to  the  discomfort  of  their  standing  for  hours  on  the 
pier,  most  of  them  had  partaken  of  an  early  breakfast,  arid  the 
pangs  of  hunger  began  to  be  seriously  felt.  From  one  o'clock 
to  four  they  thus  waited,  with  no  place  to  rest  and  nothing  to 
eat,  surrounded  by  a  curious  and  constantly  moving  crowd, 
when  an  attempt  was  made  to  comfort  their  inner  individuals 
by  a  supply  of  food  from  the  stores  of  the  ship.  Slices  of 
bread  and  meat  were  brought,  but  the  demand  outrun  the 
supply,  and  caused  much  scrambling  among  the  recruits. 
Much  disappointment  was  felt  when  it  became  known  that  the 
steamer  Ariel  would  necessarily  receive  the  Sixth  regiment, 
and  that  consequently  the  soldiers  would  not  leave  until  after 
dark  Still  the  crowd  would  not  disperse.  With  short  inter 
vals  for  refreshments,  they  remained  at  their  posts,  and  only 
dispersed  when  the  steamers  were  fairly  under  weigh. 

"  The  Seventy-first  regiment,  after  marching  down  Broad 
way,  turned  toward  the  North  Eiver,  and  went  through  Albany 
street  to  Pier  No.  12.  The  route  was  lined  up  to  this  place, 
where  an  immense  crowd  had  gathered,  which  increased  every 
moment  As  the  main  .part  of  the  regiment  were  in  the  act 
of  embarkation,  the  recruits  which  brought  up  the  rear  be 
came  the  special  object  of  attention  from  the  crowd.  Most  of 
them  had  only  muskets,  some  being  old  and  rusty,  and  none 
of  the  recruits  had  yet  put  on  the  soldier's  uniform.  Some 
wore  slouch  hats,  some  '  plug'  hats,  some  roundabouts,  some 
peajackets,  some  had  Sunday -go-to-meeting  clothes,  and  some 
looked  as  if  they  had  recently  left  the  workshop.  This  im- 
promtu  appearance  of  the  recruits,  who  numbered  nearly  half 
of  the  regiment,  gave  an  aspect  of  earnestness  to  the  cause. 
Enthusiasm  burst  forth  in  a  continuous  yell,  which  did  not 
subside  until  the  troops  had  left  the  streets.  After  this  the 
crowd  continued  to  look  on  until  the  E.  R.  Ouyler  hauled  out 
into  the  stream. 

"  The  cheering  on  board  the  Ouyler  was  frequently  respond 
ed  to  by  a  thousand  Ehode  Islanders  on  board  the  Empire 
State.  The  latter  arrived  in  the  harbor  on  Saturday  night,  and 


OF    THE    WAR.  47 

were  anchored  in  the  North  Kiver,  off  Jay  street  Their  red 
uniforms  could  be  distinctly  observed  from  the  piers,  where 
hundreds  of  people  gathered  as  early  as  the  day  dawned. 
During  the  day,  the  Khode  Island  Eegimental  Band  from  time 
to  time  played  national  airs,  and  at  five  o'clock  the  troops  were 
transferred  aboard  the  steamer  Cbatzacoalcos,  which,  until  then, 
had  been  getting  ready  at  the  foot  of  Warren  street" 

What  a  Sabbath  day's  spectacle !  Yet  it  was  heightened 
by  the  stirring  on  the  wharves  and  on  the  water  of  the  trans 
ports  loading  for  the  South  with  the  materiel  of  war,  stores, 
&c.  The  press  reported  as  follows  of  the  steamers  under  orders 
on  that  day  : 

"  West  street  witnessed  such  a  scene  as  will  not  probably  be 
often  repeated  within  a  century.  In  addition  to  the  excite 
ment  caused  by  the  departure  of  three  regiments  of  New  York 
troops,  the  presence  of  one  regiment  of  Khode  Island  troops, 
and  the  arrival  in  the  evening  of  another  regiment  of  Massa 
chusetts  troops,  the  usual  quiet  of  Sunday  was  encroached 
upon  by  the  occasional  blowing  and  smoking  of  at  least  a 
dozen  large  ocean  steamers,  which  had  been  quietly  freighted, 
and  were  now  gradually  waking  up  their  gigantic  powers  to 
depart  hence  in  concert,  on  a  most  important  mission.  A  stroll 
along  West  street  was  sufficient  to  find  out  that  the  following 
steamers  (and  there  may  have  been  more)  were  about  to  de 
part  under  Government  orders  : 

"  The  Ariel,  Pier  No.  3,  had  steam  up,  and  was  making 
much  noise.  She  had  been  taking  on  provisions  and  stores 
for  some  days.  An  inquisitive  crowd  gathered  here  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  continued  throughout  the  day. 
In.  the  afternoon  a  squad  of  Metropolitan  Policemen  were  sent 
to  the  spot,  to  keep  order  on  the  arrival  of  troops  from  Massa 
chusetts  by  the  Fall  Kiver  steamboat 

"  At  the  next  pier,  No.  4,  was  the  Columbia,  the  vessel,  until 
recently,  of  the  notorious  traitor  Captain  Berry,  who,  it  is  said, 
is  not  an  American,  but  an  Englishman,  and  a  Secessionist 
because  he  is  unprincipled.  She  had  steam  up  at  4  P.  M. 
During  Saturday  night  workmen  were  engaged  on  her  all 


48  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

night.  The  Marion  was  at  the  same  pier  ready  for  departure, 
and  had  steam  up  at  four  o'clock. 

"  The  James  Adger  was  at  the  stern  of  the  Marion,  with 
steam  up,  some  people  aboard,  and  also  ready  for  departure, 
as  it  appeared.  Crowds  of  people  were  gathered  along  these 
steamers,  and  at  some  places  on  the  decks  and  rigging  of  sail 
ing  craft  in  the  docks  and  near  by. 

"  The  R.  R.  Cayler  which  took  the  Seventy -first  regiment 
on  board,  was  at  pier  No.  12.  She  lay  in  the  stream  after 
three  o'clock. 

"  Several  of  Mitchill's  Line  of  Southern  steamers,  lying  at 
pier  No.  86,  have  also  been  chartered.  The  Star  of  the  South, 
the  Alabama  and  the  Augusta  are  the  ones.  They  did  not 
have  steam  up  yesterday,  as  they  were  not  to  depart  until 
Monday  or  Tuesday. 

"  The  Coatzacoalcos  was  at  the  foot  of  "Warren  street,  and 
had  steam  up.  She  went  out  to  the  Empire  State  at  6  P.  M. 
The  De  Sato,  one  of  the  New  Orleans  steamers,  at  the  next  pier 
south  of  the  Coatzacoalcos,  was  stemming  up  with  much  noise 
as  if  about  to  sail,  at  4  P.  11. 

"  The  propeller  Chesapeake,  of  the  Savannah  line,  got  steaij. 
up  yesterday  afternoon,  and  went  out  into  the  stream,  but  soon 
after  returned  to  her  berth,  where  she  remained  until  night 
The  propeller  Parkersburg,  of  the  same  line  and  pier,  had  steam 
up  at  the  same  time. 

"  The  propeller  Monticello,  of  the  Alexandria  and  Washing 
ton  line,  had  steam  up  and  was  freighted  with  large  quantities 
of  war  material,  such  as  muskets,  brass  field  pieces  of  improv 
ed  manufacture,  grape-shot  for  very  large  guns,  and  large  piles 
of  boxes  and  bundles,  the  contents  of  which  were  unknown. 

"  Adding  considerably  to  the  martial  bustle,  was  the  stated 
firing  of  guns  from  the  several  transport  vessels  having  troops 
on  board." 

This  was  but  the  opening  of  the  Crusade  for  the  restoration 
of  the  Union  which  followed.  It  was  a  sublime  prelude  to  a 
sublime  tragedy — one  at  which  the  generation  stood  aghast, 
but  one  of  those  which,  since  the  world  began,  has  initiated 
all  great  political  and  social  changes. 


THE     POETS. 

No  "history  of  the  Great  Straggle  will  be  complete  that  does 
not  recur  to  the  part  which  the  poets  of  the  land  took  in 
stirring  the  popular  heart.  City  and  country  press  teemed 
with  lyrics  and  invocations,  well  calculated  to  awaken  enthu 
siasm  in  the  popular  cause.  The  occasion  called  forth  many 
fine  compositions,  well  worthy  of  preservation — some  of  which 
will,  indeed,  find  their  way  into  our  permanent  literature. 
Patriotism  found  in  the  poet-heart,  a  full  and  deep  response  ; 
and  the  future  will  draw  upon  the  poems  of  the  spring  of  1861 
when  it  would  refresh  its  love  of  country  and  its  fait!)  in  the 
Eight.  We  give  such  of  the  compositions  as  seem  to  us  to 
possess  a  permanent  interest* 

This  Sonnet,  from  the  pen  of  William  H.  Burleigh,  gives 
admirable  expression  to  the  sense  of  relief  felt  by  the  nation 
at  the  end  of  the  suspense  regarding  the  course  to  be  pursued 
in  the  crisis : 

*  Many  of  the  finest  contributions  were  lyrics  devoted  to  special  oc 
casions,  or  themes  whose  interest  was  but  local  or  temporary.  A  col 
lection  of  the  choicest  Lyrics  of  the  War  could  not  fail  to  be  well 
received,  but  it  would  require  a  good  sized  volume  to  contain  them. 
Perhaps  some  "  enterprising  publisher"  may  be  found  to  place  such  a 
volume  on  his  lists,  even  though  it  may  not  pay  the  profit  of  a  popular 
novel.  If  issued,  it  should  be  compiled  by  an  appreciative  and  fully 
competent  and  unbiassed  mind— to  find  which  it  will  be  quite  necessary 
to  choose  some  other  than  one  of  the  standing  literary  providers,  who 
infest  the  publishing  houses  of  the  metropolis.  That  class  rarely  thinks 
of  looking  for  merit  outside  the  atmosphere  of  its  own  narrow  associa 
tions,  and  warped  sense  of  the  beautiful. 
E  7 


60  INCIDENTS    AND     ANECDOTES 

APRIL  15TH,  1861. 

^ 

THANK  GOD  !  the  Free  North  is  awake  at  last  I 
When  burning  cannon-shot  and  bursting  shell, 
As,  from  the  red  rnouth  of  some  volcan's  hell, 
Rained  on  devoted  Sumter  thick  and  fast, 
The  sleep  of  ages  from  her  eyelids  past. 

One  bound — and  lo  !  she  stands  erect  and  tall, 
While  Freedom's  hosts  come  trooping  to  her  call, 
Like  eager  warriors  to  the  trumpet's  blast ! 
Wo  !  to  the  traitors  and  their -robber-horde  1 
Wo  !  to  the  spoilers  that  pollute  the  land  I 
When  a  roused  Nation,  terrible  and  grand, 
Grasps,  in  a  holy  cause,  th'  avenging  sword, 
And  swears,  from  Treason's  bloody  clutch  to  save 
The  priceless  heritage  our  fathers  gave. 


The  "  Alarum,"  by  E.  H.  Stodderd,  is  a  fine  poem,  brimming 
with  that  terse  enthusiasm  which  characterizes  all  true  war 
lyrics : 

MEN  of  the  North  and  West, 

Wake  in  your  might, 
Prepare,  as  the  Rebels  have  done, 

For  the  fight  ; 

You  cannot  shrink  from  the  test, 
Rise  !  Men  of  the  North  and  West ! 

They  have  torn  down  your  banner  of  stare ; 

They  have  trampled  the  laws ; 
They  have  stifled  the  freedom  they  hate, 

For  no  cause ! 

Do  you  love  it,  or  slavery  best  ? 
Speak !  Men  of  the  North  and  West  I 

They  strike  at  the  life  of  the  State — 

Shall  the  murder  be  done  ? 

They  cry,  "  We  are  two  I"     And  you  ? 

"  We  are  oneT 

You  must  meet  them,  then,  breast  to  breast, 
On !  Men  of  the  North  and  West  1 


OF     THE     WAR.  51 

Not  with  words — they  laugh  them  to  scorn, 

And  tears  they  despise  ; 
But,  with  swords  in  your  hands,  and  death 

In  your  eyes, 

Strike  home !  leave  to  God  all  the  rest, 
Strike !  Men  of  the  North  and  West ! 

"  A  Northern  Bally,"  by  John  Clancy,  is  significant  Coming, 
as  it  did,  from  a  leading  Democratic  Editor,  of  New  York  City, 
who  had  long  supported  the  cause  of  the  South,  it  happily 
illustrates  the  feeling  which  moved  such  men  to  action : 

WE'VE  borne  too  long  this  Southern  wrong, 

That  ever  sought  to  shame  us ; 
The  threat  and  boast,  the  braggart  toast, 

"  That  Southern  men  would  tame  us." 
We've  bent  the  knee  to  chivalry, 

Have  borne  the  lie  and  scorning ; 
But  now,  thank  God,  our  Northern  blood 

Has  roused  itself  from  fawning. 

The  issue's  made,  our  flag's  displayed, 

Let  he  who  dare  retard  it  ; 
No  cowards  here  grow  pale  with  fear, 

For  Northern  swords  now  guard  it. 
The  men  that  won  at  Lexington 

A  name  and  fame  in  story, 
Were  patriot  sires,  who  lit  the  fires 

To- lead  their  sons  to  glory. 

Like  rushing  tide  down  mountain  side, 

The  Northern  hosts  are  sweeping ; 
Each  freeman's  breast  to  meet  the  test 

With  patriot  blood  is  leaping. 
Now  Southern  sneer  and  bullies'  leer, 

Will  find  swift  vengeance  meted; 
For  never  yet  since  foemen  met 

Have  Northern  men  retreated. 

United  now,  no  more  we'll  bow, 

Or  supplicate,  or  reason ; 
'Twill  be  our  shame  and  lasting  blame 

If  we  consent  to  treason. 


;  N    '       ;  N    •   v-  ••  /   .  v$ 
•  •-  V.  i-:.s  ••-  ;.-, 


Her.  John  R 


Cta>  S*T*  wur 

^:.-  ;.  >.-.-.  :  .-• 
\;  ' 

Ko  stri 


;••.  -  . 

/  \--.v     J     :.  ,-.-.  :  •/        . 

God  saw  cmr  FatlM! 


o---  ••  '  .-  .. 

One  in  Lo  ve%s 


ano*  to  Ais  truly  patriotic 
say,  the  rush  to  arms  in 
ed  to  the  Committee  on 

:'.-.   ••..•>•/  ;'••.  C.  J .    •   to 
dmed  in  the  Songs  of  the 


?  thy  throne ; 


:v  .-: 


atxire  this  nobly 
It  is  Ota     f 


OF     THE     WAR.  63 

these  compositions  called  forth  only  by  moments  of  great  pub 
lic  excitement,  and  may  be  referred  to  as  indicative  of  the 
strong  undercurrent  of  devotion  to  country  which 
even  the  hearts  of  the  women  of  the  land : 

OH,  mother  of  a  matchless  race  1 

Columbia,  hear  our  cry ; 
The  children  nursed  in  your  embrace, 

For  you  will  live  and  die. 
We  glory  in  our  fathers'  deeds, 

We  love  the  soil  they  trod; 
Our  heritage  we  will  defend 

And  keep,  so  help  us  God  [• 
Rise,  rise !  Oh  Patriots,  rise  1 

Let  waiting  millions  see ! 
What  courage  thrills,  what  faith  inspires 

The  Nation  of  the  Free  1 

Hail !  brothers  in  a  common  cause  I 

True  to  your  birthright  stand  I 
The  Constitution  and  the  Laws 

Must  know  no  Vandal  hand. 
Let  foreign  foes  invidious  gaze, 

To  see  our  light  expire ; 
They'll  shrink  in  awe  before  the  blaze 

Of  Freedom's  deathless  fire. 

Hark  I  how  the  hymns  of  glory  swell 

Above  our  fathers'  graves  ! 
Th'  unfaltering  men  of  Seventy-sir 

Begot  no  race  of  slaves. 
The  blood  that  bought  our  sacred  right 

Still  in  their  lineage  runs ; 
No  tribute  gold,  no  traitor's  might 

Shall  wrest  it  from  their  sons. 

Shade  of  heroic  Washington  1 

Still  guard  our  Native  Land  I 
Rebuke,  rebuke  each  wavering  one, 

Direct  each  ardent  hand  1 
Oh,  mother  of  a  matchless  race  1 

Hear  our  united  cry ! 
'Tis  noble  in  your  cause  to  live, 

And  nobler  still  to  die  1 
E2 


54  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

Charles  Gr.  Leland  gave  to  the  press  the  following  resonant 
"  Northerner's  Call,"  set  to  the  well-know  German  air,  Bursclien 
herausl 

Northmen,  come  out ! 
Forth  unto  battle  with  storm  and  shout ! 
Freedom  calls  you  once  again,  , 

To  flag  and  fort  and  tented  plain ; 
Then  come  with  drum  and  trump  and  song, 
And  raise  the  war-cry  wild  and  strong : 

Northmen,  come  out  1 

Northmen,  come  out ! 
The  foe  is  waiting  round  about, 
•   "  With  paixhan,  mortar,  and  petard, 
To  tender  us  their  Beau-regard  ;"  . 
"With  shot  and  shrapnell,  grape  and  shell 
We'll  give  them  back  the  fire  of  hell. 

Northmen,  come  out ; 

Northmen,  come  out ! 
Give  the  pirates  a  roaring  rout ; 
Out  in  your  strength  and  let  them  know 
How  Working  Men  to  Work  can  go. 
Out  in  your  might  and  let  them  feel 
How  Mudsills  strike  when  edged  with  steel ; 

Northmen,  come  out ! 

Northmen,  come  out ! 

Come  like  your  grandsires  stern  and  stout ; 
Shough  Cotton  be  of  Kingly  stock, 
Yet  royal  heads  may  reach  the  block, 
The  Puritan  taught  it  once  in  pain, 
His  sons  shall  teach  it  once  again  ; 

Northmen,  come  out  1 

Northmen,  come  out  1 
Forth  into  battle  with  storm  and  shout  1 
He  who  lives  with  victory's  blest, 
He  who  dies  gains  peaceful  rest. 

Living  or  dying,  let  us  be  * 

Still  vowed  to  God  and  liberty  I 

Northmen,  come  out  1 

Oliver  Wendall  Holmes,  after  the  burial  of  the  Massachu- 


OF    THE    WAR.  55 

setts  dead,  killed  by  tlie  mob  at  Baltimore,  penned  tliis  adju 
ration  for  the  hour : 


WEAVE  no  more  silks,  ye  Lyons  looms, 

To  deck  our  girls  for  gay  delights  ! 
The  crimson  flower  of  battle  blooms,  ' 

And  solemn  marches  fill  the  nights. 

Weave  but  the  flag  whose  bars  to-day 

Drooped  heavy  o'er  our  early  dead, 
And  homely  garments,  coarse  and  grey, 

For  orphans  that  must  earn  their  bread ! 

Keep  back  your  tunes,  ye  viols  sweet, 

That  pour  delight  from  other  lands  ! 
Rouse  there  the  dancer's  restless  feet — 

The  trumpet  leads  our  warrior  bands. 

And  ye  that  wage  the  war  of  words 

With  mystic  fame  and  subtile  power, 
Go,  chatter  to  the  idle  birds, 

Or  teach  the  lesson  of  the  hour  I 

Ye  Sibyl  Arts,  in  one  stern  knot 

Be  all  your  offices  combined  ! 
Stand  close,  while  Courage  draws  the  lot, 

The  destiny  of  humankind  1 

And  if  that  destiny  could  fail, 

The  sun  should  darken  in  the  sky, 
The  eternal  bloom  of  Nature  pale, 

And  God,  and  Truth,  and  Freedom  die  ! 

One  who  had  gone  to  the  wars  (Albert  Bornitz),  on  his 
humble  camp  couch  dreamed  of  her  from  whom  his  hands,  not 
his  soul,  was  torn.  He  penned  her  this  passionate  "  "Was  it  a 
Dream?" 

I  sat  in  her  garden  (or,  was  it  a  dream  ?) 

At  the  quiet  of  night,  in  the  middle  of  June: 

Below,  through  the  lawn,  flowed  a  musical  stream, 
And  above,  in  the  cloudless  expanse,  hung  the  moon. 


56  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Around  us  the  roses  were  blushing  with  red, 
And  the  air  held  the  odor  of  blossom  and  bud  ; 

On  my  breast  (did  J  dream  it  ?)  was  pillowed  her  head, 
And  the  flame  of  the  roses  went  into  our  blood  I 

The  fire  of  the  roses  went  into  our  veins, 
And  the  hue  of  the  roses  stole  over  her  face  ! 

And  her  sighs,  faintly  heard,  were  angelic  refrains, 
As  I  folded  her  form  in  my  ardent  embrace. 

Ah,  golden-haired  darling  !  proud  hazel-eyed  queen  I 
Have  I  dreamed  it  ?  or  was  it  not  audibly  sighed, 

By  a  being  whose  presence  was  felt,  though  unseen, 
That  our  souls  were  forever  and  ever  allied  ? 

It  may  be  that  I  dreamed  it :  but  after  the  war, 

Should  the  Fates  be  propitious,  the  dream*  may  prove  true  ; 

Should  I  perish  in  battle — then  know  that  afar, 
In  a  land  of  romance,  I  am  waiting  for  you. 

There  is  in  this  fine  poem  an  undertone  of  pathos,  which 
makes  it  very  touching  in  its  sorrow  : 

I  know  the  sun  shines,  and  the  lilacs  are  blowing, 
And  Summer  sends  kisses  by  beautiful  May — 

Oh !  to  see  all  the  treasures  the  Spring  is  bestowing, 
And  think — my  boy  Willie  enlisted  to-day  I 

It  seems  but  a  day  since  at  twilight,  low  humming, 
I  rocked  him  to  sleep  with  his  oheek  upon  mine, 

While  Robby,  the  four-year  old,  watched  for  the  coming 
Of  father,  adown  the  street's  indistinct  line. 

It  is  many  a  year  since  my  Harry  departed, 

To  come  back  no  more  in  the  twilight  or  dawn ; 

And  Robby  grew  weary  of  watching,  and  started 
Alone,  on  the  journey  his  father  had  gone. 

It  is  many  a  year —  and  this  afternoon,  sitting 
At  Robby's  old  window,  I  heard  the  band  play, 

And  suddenly  ceased  dreaming  over  my  knitting 
To  recollect  Willie  is  twenty  to-day  ; 

And  that,  standing  beside  him  this  soft  May-day  morning, 
The  sun  making  gold  of  his  wreathed  cigar-smoke, 

I  saw  in  his  sweet  eyes  and  lips  a  faint  warning, 

And  choaked  down  the  tears  when  he  eagerly  spoke. 


! 


OF     THE     WAR.  67 

"  Dear  mother,  you  know  how  those  traitors  are  crowing, 
They  trample  the  folds  of  our  flag  in  the  dust ; 

The  boys  are  all  fire ;  and  they  wish  I  were  going — " 
He  stopped,  but  his  eyes  said,."  Oh  say  if  I  must  1" 

I  smiled  on  the  boy,  though  my  heart  it  seemed  breaking : 
My  eyes  filled  with  tears,  so  I  turned  them  away, 

And  answered  him,  "  Willie,  'tis  well  you  are  waking—  N 

Go,  act  as  your  father  would  bid  you  to-day  1" 

I  sit  in  the  window  and  see  the  flags  flying, 

And  dreamily  list  to  the  roll  of  the  drum, 
And  smother  the  pain  in  my  heart  that  is  lying, 

And  bid  all  the  fears  in  my  bosom  be  dumb; 

I  shall  sit  in  the  window  when  Summer  is  lying 

Out  over  the  fields,  and  the  honey-bees  hum 
Lulls  the  rose  at  the  porch  from  her  tremulous  sighing, 

And  watch  for  the  face  of  my  darling  to  come. 

And  if  he  should  fall ....  his  young  life  he  has  given 
For  Freedom's  sweet  sake  ....  and  for  me,  I  will  pray 

Once  more  with  my  Harry  and  Eobby  in  heaven 
To  meet  the  dear  boy  that  enlisted  to-day. 

The  spirit  of  scorn  at  treason  and  high  resolve  to  strike  and 
spare  not,  rings  out  in  these  stirring  stanzas,  by  Franklin 
Lushington.  It  has  in  it  the  clang  of  the  old  Eoman's  steel 

No  more  words ; 

Try  it  with  your  swords ! 

Try  it  with  the  arms  of  your  bravest  and  your  best  I 
You  are  proud  of  your  manhood,  now  put  it  to  the  test : 

Not  another  word ; 

Try  it  by  the  sword  1 

No  more  NOTES  : 

Try  it  by  the  throats 

Of  the  cannon  that  will  roar  till  the  earth  and  air  be  shaken ; 
For  they  speak  what  they  mean,  and  they  can  not  be  mistaken ; 

No  more  doubt ; 

Come — fight  it  out. 

8 


58  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

No  child's  play  1 

Waste  not  a  day ; 

Serve  out  the  deadliest  weapon  you  know ; 
Let  them  pitilessly  hail  in  the  faces  of  the  foe ; 

No  blind  strife ; 

"Waste  not  one  life. 

You  that  in  the  front 

Bear  the  battle's  brunt — 

When  the  sun  gleams  at  dawn  on  the  bayonets  abreast, 
Remember  'tis  for  Government  and  Country  you  contest ; 

For  love  of  all  you  guard, 

Stand  and  strike  hard. 

You  at  home  that  stay, 

From  danger  far  away, 

Leave  not  a  jot  to  chance,  while  you  rest  in  quiet  ease ; 
Quick !  forge  the  bolts  of  death ;  quick  1  ship  them  o'er  the  seas ; 

If  war's  feet  are  lame, 

Yours  will  be  the  blame. 

You,  my  lads,  abroad, 

"  Steady  !"  be  your  word : 

You,  at  home,  be  the  anchor  of 'your  soldiers  young  and  brave; 
Spare  not  cost,  none  is  lost,  that  may  strengthen  or  may  save ; 

Sloth  were  sin  and  shame ; 

Now  play  out  the  game. 

Bayard  Taylor  thus  charmingly  worded  the  incident  which 
it  commemorates,  of  the  old  soldier  of  1812  pleading  with 
General  Scott  for  a  place  in  the  ranks  : 

AN  old  and  crippled  veteran  to  the  War  Department  came, 
He  sought  the  Chief  who  led  him.  on  many  a  field  of  fame — 
The  Chief  who  shouted  "  Forward !"  where'er  his  banner  rose, 
And  bore  his  stars  in  triumph  behind  the  flying  foes. 

"  Have  you  forgotten,  General,"  the  battered  soldier  cried, 
"  The  days  of  eighteen  hundred  twelve,  when  I  was  at  your  side  ? 
Have  you  forgotten  Johnson,  that  fought  at  Lundy's  Lane  ? 
'Tis  true  I'm  old,  and  pensioned,  but  I  want  to  fight  again." 

"  Have  I  forgotten  ?"  said  the  Chief:  "  my  brave  old  soldier,  No  I 
And  here's  the  hand  I  gave  you  then,  and  let  it  tell  you  so ; 
But  you  have  done  your  share,  my  friend ;  you're  crippled,  old,  and  grey, 
And  we  have  need  of  younger  arms  and  fresher  blood  to-day." 


OF     THE     WAK.  69 

"  But,  General !"  cried  tlie  veteran,  a  flush  upon  his  brow ; 
"  The  very  men  who  fought  with  us,  they  say,  are  traitors  now ; 
They've  torn  the  flag  of  Lundy's  Lane,  our  old  red,  white,  and  blue, 
And  while  a  drop  of  blood  is  left,  I'll  show  that  drop  is  true. 

"  I'm  not  so  weak  but  I  can  strike,  and  I've  a  good  old  gun 
To  get  the  range  of  traitors'  hearts,  and  pick  them,  one  by  one. 
Your  Minie  rifles  and  such  arms  it  ain't  worth  wThile  to  try  : 
I  couldn't  get  the  hang  o'  them,  but  I'll  keep  my  powder  dry  1" 

"  God  bless  you,  comrade !"  said  the  Chief — "  God  bless  your  loyal 

heart  1 

But  younger  men  are  in  the  field,  and  claim  to  have  their  part. 
They'll  plant  our  sacred  banner  in  each  rebellious  town, 
And  woe,  henceforth  to  any  hand,  that  dares  to  pull  it  down  1" 

"  But,  General!" — still  persisting,  the  weeping  veteran  cried; 
"  I'm  young  enough  to  follow,  so  long  as  you're  my  guide  : 
And  some,  you  know,  must  bite  the  dust,  and  that,  at  least,  can  I ; 
So,  give  the  young  ones  place  to  fight,  but  me  a  place  to  die  1 

"  If  they  should  fire  on  Pickens,  let  the  Colonel  in  command 
Put  me  upon  the  rampart,  with  the  flag-staff  in  my  hand  ; 
No  odds  how  hot  the  cannon-smoke,  or  how  the  shells  may  fly, 
I'll  hold  the  Stars  and  Stripes  aloft,  and  hold  them  till  I  die  1 

"  I'm  ready,  General,  so  you  let  a  post  to  me  be  given, 

"Where  "Washington  can  see  me,  as  he  looks  from  highest  Heaven, 

And  say  to  Putnam  at  his  side,  or,  may  be,  General  Wayne ; 

4  There  stands  old  Billy  Johnson,  that  fought  at  Lundy's  Lane  V 

"  And  when  the  fight  is  hottest,  before  the  traitors  fly  ; 
When  shell  and  ball  are  screeching,  and  bursting  in  the  sky, 
If  any  shot  should  hit  me,  and  lay  me  on  my  face, 
My  soul  would  go  to  Washington's,  and  not  to  Arnold's  place  1" 


It  was  chronicled  among  the  incidents  illustrative  of  the 
spirit  which  prevailed  at  the  South,  that  "  a  company  of  Con 
federate  Horse  Guards,  at  Memphis,  lately  took  a  United 
States  flag  and  buried  it  in  a  grave  in  the  earth,  with  appro 
priate  funeral  ceremonies. "v  Some  poet  adverted  to  the  act  in 
this  poem,  which  strongly  reminds  the  reader  of  Mrs.  Brown 
ing's  numbers : 


60  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

So  you've  buried  the  flag  at  Memphis  ? 

How  many  fathoms  deep  ? 
What  seal  did  you  set  on  the  Stars  and  Stripes  i 

And  who  that  grave  shall  keep  ? 

Alas  for  the  dead  at  Memphis  1 

Mere  dust  to  dust  you  bear ; 
No  vision  of  Life  all  glorified, 

Of  Love  grown  heavenly  fair — 

No  radiant  .dream,  with  a  Christly  sign, 

Of  the  Victor's  living  palm  ; 
Of  the  odorous  golden  joy  that  dares 

Join  Seraphs  in  their  psalm  1 

You  never  read,  in  a  rich  man's  cave 
The  Life  of  the  world  lay,  slain  ! 

And  the  mourning  women  went  to  watch, 
But  found — where  he  had  lain. 

Come,  guess — who  roll'd  from  his  cave  the  rock  I 

Who  broke  great  Pilate's  seal  ? 
"  While  the  soldiers  sleep,  and  the  women  weep. 
Base  hands  the  Body  steal." 

Vain  guess  for  knowledge  !     Children  dear, 

Not  Death  lay  in  that  cave, 
But  Living  Love  1     While  the  world  above 

Went  wailing — "Died  to  save!" 

Well — -judge  if  Freedom's  sacred  sign 

Can  molder  under  ground, 
With  the  march  of  a  million  men  o'erhead, 

Their  banners  eagle-crowned  ? 

From  Plymouth  Rock  to  the  Golden  Gate 

A  shout  goes  right  and  left ; 
The  aliens'  dreamful  watch  is  done — 

The  sepulcher  is  cleft. 

Weak  hands  !     Heap  clay  on  the  Stars  of  God  1 

They  never  shone  before  ! 
They  rend  the  shroud,  and  they  pierce  the  cloud, 

All  hail,  then,  Thirty-Four  I 


OF    THE     WAE.  61 

Nor  should  we  omit  the  humor  and  satire  which  also  flowed 
from  the  pens  of  those  who  scorned  the  traitors'  and  plun 
derers'  part  Punch  came  forward,  from  over  the  sea,  with 
this  terribly  bitter — but  who  shall  say  inappropriate? — 
"  National  Hymn  of  the  Confederate  States"  : 

When  first  the  South,  to  fury  fanned, 

Arose  and  broke  the  Union's  chain, 
This  was  the  Charter,  the  Charter  of  the  land, 

And  Mr.  Davis  sang  the  strain  : 
Rule  Slaveownia,  Slaveownia  rules,  and  raves — 
"  Christians  ever,  ever,  ever  have  had  slaves." 

The  Northerns,  not  so  blest  as  thee, 

At  Aby  Lincoln's  foot  may  fall, 
While  thou  shalt  flourish,  'shalt  flourish  fierce  and  free 

The  whip,  that  makes  the  Nigger  bawl. 
Rule  Slaveownia,  Slaveownia  rules,  and  raves — 
"  Christians  ever,  ever,  ever  should  have  slaves." 

Thou,  dully  savage,  shalt  despise 

Each  freeman's  argument,  or  joke  ; 
Each  law  that  Congress,  that  Congress  thought  so  wise, 

Serves  but  to  light  thy  pipes  for  smoke. 
Rule  Slaveownia,  Slaveownia  rules,  and  raves — 
"  Christians  ever,  ever,  ever  must  have  slaves." 

And  Trade,  that  knows  no  God  but  gold, 

Shall  to  thy  pirate  ports  repair ; 
Blest  land,  where  flesh — where  human  flesh  is  sold, 

And  manly  arms  may  flog  that  air. 
Rule  Slaveownia,  Slaveownia  rules,  and  raves — 
"  Christians  ever,  ever,  ever  should  have  slaves." 


Jefferson  Davis,  in  his  Message  at  the  opening  of  the  extra 
session  of  the  Confederate  Congress,  1861,  said  among  other 
remarkable  things,  that  all  the  South  wished  was  to  be  let  alone. 
Some  appreciative  person,  through  the  Hartford  (Conn.)  Cou> 
rant,  embodied  the  Secessionist's  wishes  in  this  effusion  : 


62  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

As  vonce  I  valked  by  a  dismal  swamp, 
There  sot  an  Old  Cove  in  the  dark  and  damp, 
And  at  everybody  that  passed  that  road 
A  stick  or  a  stone  this  Old  Cove  throwed. 
And  veuever  he  flung  his  stick  or  his  stone, 
He'd  set  up  a  song  of  "  Let  nie  alone." 

"  Let  me  alone,  for  I  loves  to  shy 

These  bits  of  things  at  the  passers  by — 

Let  me  alone,  for  I've  got  your  tin 

And,  lots  of  other  traps  snugly  in — 

Let  me  alone,  I'm  riggin'  a  boat 

To  grab  votever  you've  got  afloat — 

In  a  veek  or  so  I  expect  to  come 

And  turn  you  out  of  your  'ouse  and  'ome — 

I'm  a  quiet  Old  Cove,  says  he,  with  a  groan : 

All  I  axes  is — Let  me  aflone." 

Just  then  came  along,  on  the  self  same  way, 
Another  Old  Cove,  and  began  for  to  say — 
"  Let  you  alone  !     That 's  comin'  it  strong  ! — 
You've  been  let  alone — a  darned  sight  too  long — 
Of  all  the  sarce  that  ever  I  heerd  ! 
Put  down  that  stick  !     (You  may  well  look  skcered  t) 
Let  go  that  stone  !     If  you  once  show  fight, 
I'll  knock  you  higher  than  any  kite. 
You  must  have  a  lesson  to  stop  your  tricks, 
And  cure  you  of  shying  them  stones  and  sticks, 
And  I'll  have  my  hardware  back,  and  my  cash, 
And  knock  your  scow  into  tarnal  smash. 
And  if  ever  I  catches  you  'round  my  ranch, 
I'll  string  you  up  to  the  nearest  branch. 
The  best  you  can  do  is  to  go  to  bed, 
And  keep  a  decent  tongue  in  your  head ; 
For  I  reckon  before  you  and  I  are  done, 
You'll  wish  you  had  let  honest  folks  alone." 

The  Old  Cove  stopped,  and  the  t'other  Old  Cove, 
He  sot  quite  still  in  his  cypress  grove, 
And  he  looked  at  his  stick,  revolvin'  slow, 
Vether  'twere  safe  to  shy  it  or  no — 
And  he  grumbled  on,  in  an  injured  tone, 
"  All  that  I  axed  vos,  let  me  alone? 


OF     THE     WAR.  63 

To  the  ever-living  Yankee  Doodle  the  world  owes  much  of 
its  best  humor.  Southern  dislike  of  "  the  Yankees"  did  not 
serve  to  render  the  term  any  the  less  popular  among  the  loy 
alists.  Hence  we  find  a  large  number  of  songs  to  the  good  old 
"  tune"  which  were  re-echoed  among  the  hills  of  much  of  the 
"  sacred  soil "  by  the  Northern  troops — so  little  respect  had 
they  for  the  prejudices  of  their  enemies  !  Early  in  the  cam 
paign  against  rebellion,  the  following  u  Suggestions"  were  made 
by  G.  W.  Westbrook : 

Yankee  Doodle's  come  again 

Among  the  sons  of  Gotham — 
Not  to  see  the  gods  and  shows, 

But  to  see  the  facts,  and  quote  'em. 

He  heard  of  South  Carolina's  boast 

That  Jonathan  was  craven — 
That  Cotton  was  the  king  of  earth, 

And  nothing  else  could  save  'em. 

But,  Yankee  Doodle  says  :  "  Dear  sirs, 

You  know  not  what's  the  matter — 
You  see  through  glasses  darkly  smoked 

With  error  and  tobacker  1 

"  Your  darkies  plough,  and  hoe,  and 

To  raise  your  rice  and  cotton, 
And  sugar,  too,  and  cornstalks  big, 

And  many  things  forgotten. 

"  You  orter  know  that  Yankees  make 

Your  cotton  into  muslin, 
And  thread,  and  tape,  and  hosiery, 

And  ladies'  wear  quite  puzzlin'. 

"  Besides,  they  make  the  canvas  sheets 

That  forms  the  wings  of  commerce, 
To  take  your  schooners  and  your  fleets 

To  every  harbor  on  earth. 

**  They  also  make  "the  canvas  bags, 

And  send  them  to  the  prairies 
Of  Indiana,  Illinois, 

As  the  soil  and  climate  varies. 


6£  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  To  hold  potatoes,  corn,  and  oats, 

And  wheat,  and  rye,  and  barley, 
And  sometimes  coal,  and  ice  in  boats, 

And  coverings  for  the  darkey. 

"  They  also  take  your  rice  in  ships 

Built  by  the  Yankee  nation — 
From  Charleston's  docks  and  New  York  slipa 

All  over  the  creation. 

"Your  sugar,  too,  the  Yankees  take-  - 

Although  they  tap  the  maple, 
That  produces  matter  saccharine, 

And  forms  a  Yankee  staple. 

.  f  •  . 
"  Tobacker,  too,  the  Yankees  chew, 

And  smoke  and  snuff  in  plenty — 
The  ladies,  too,  if  you  only  knew, 

Send  to  you  by  the  twenty 

•  ."">;; 

"  For  early  fruits  and  early  flowers, 

'    Before  the  North  cai,i  raise  'em, 
To  decorate  their  lovely  bowers, 
Their  sweethearts  to  amaze  'em. 

"  Then  why  this  strife  ?  like  man  and  wife 

In  a  domestic  quarrel — 
That  after  all  must  end  with  life, 

With  no  unfading  laurel  ? 

"Jonathan's  advice,  therefore, 

Is,  peacefully  be  living, 
And  kind  and  true  to  every  one, 

Forbearing  and  forgiving. 

"  If  you  refuse  to  take  this  hint 

Intended  for  your  favor, 
We'll  show  you  how  the  cap  and  flint 

Will  cause  you  much  more  labor." 

Edward  S.  Ellis,  a  popular  writer  in  the  fields  of  romance, 
came  out  of  the  regions  of  fiction  to  discourse  facts  in  this  hu 
morous  strain  : 


OF    THE    WAR. 

Clergymen  are  mustering 

Members  of  their  flocks, 
Satisfied  they  're  able 
To  inflict  some  Knocks : 
Editors  are  gathering, 

And  the  walls  of  Fame 
Soon  will  show  their  "  devil* 

What  &  in  a  name. 
Every  inland  steamer, 
Every  train  of  cars, 
Bring  their  eager  thousands 
Going  to  the  wars. 

Tailors,  clerks,  mechanics, 

Shoemakers  to  loot ; 
Teachers  tell  their  "  ideas" 
Noufs  the  time  to  shoot  ! 

Bronzed  and  honest  farmer* 

Say,  "  We're  bound  to  jinfifc" 
As  the  hardy  fellows 
Hasten  "  into  line." 
Students,  doctors,  lawyers, 

Make  a  sight  sublime, 

With  the  shoulder-hitters 

"  Coming  up  to  time." 

Officers  and  seamen, 

Salts  and  jolly  tars, 

All  are  now  enlisting— 

Going  to  the  wars. 

Timid,  tender  maiden 

Softly  gasps  "  My  gracious  f 
As  her  gallant  lover 

Swears  he'll  shoot  Jeff  Davia. 
Proud  and  doating  father, 

When  he  says  "  My  son  1" 
Hears  his  martial  progeny 
Answer — "  of  a  gun." 

Gallant-looking  firemen, 

In  their  flannel  shirts, 
u  Beckon  they  can  handle 

Them  'ere  Southern  squirts." 


r2  9 


66  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

Armies  frorn  the  mountains — 

Armies  from  the  hills — 
Armies  from  the  workshops — 

Armies  from  the  mills. 
Hosts  of 'freemen  rushing 

Bound  the  STRIFES  AND  STARS  ! 
Verily  the  Southerns 

Will  get  their  full  of  wars  1 

This  may  suffice  for  our  half  hour  with  the  Poets.  That  it 
will  prove  a  pleasant  treat  for  the  reader,  we  are  assured. 
We  have  quoted  such  poems  as  were  available.  Many  fine 
things  are  necessarily  omitted  if  we  would  not  absorb  too  much 
of  our  book  with  rhymes.  The  contributions  of  Mrs.  Howe, 
Mrs.  Whitman,  Eose  Terry,  Miss  Proctor,  Oliver  Wendall 
Holmes,  E.  H.  Stoddard,  George  H.  Boker,  T.  B.  Eead,  Low 
ell,  A.  J.  H.  Duganne,  Alice  Gary,  Bayard  Taylor,  Whittier, 
John  Neal,  Park  Benjamin,  were  very  noticeable  for  their 
spirit  and  strength.* 

*  We  can  but  hope  that  some  competent  hand  will  gather  and  pub 
lish  tjiem  in  a  volume  fitted  for  popular  circulation.  A  large  nuinbei 
of  the  finest  poems  went  without  an  author's  name.  These  it  should  be 
the  duty  of  the  editor  to  carefully  gather,  and,  if  possible,  to  ascertain 
and  make  known  their  authorship. 


EAELY     INCIDENTS. 

WHEN  one  of  the  New  York  city  regiments  was  marching 
to  the  steamer,  a  young  man,  who  had  risen  from  a  sick  bed 
to  go  with  his  company,  fainted  in  the  street  A  sturdy  fellow 
stepped  from  the  crowd  on  the  sidewalk,  saying,  "  Give  me  his 
musket  and  cartridge-box."  They  were  given  to  him,  and 
without  another  word  he  marched  on  in  the  place  of  the  sick 
man. 

In  one  of  the  Massachusetts  regiments  was  a  young  citizen 
of  Maine.  He  had  come  from  that  State  to  Massachusetts  to 
visit  his  mother,  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  five  years,  and  had 
been*  with  her  only  an  hour,  when  he  was  asked  if  he  did  not 
wish  to  volunteer.  He  said  his  grandfather  went  to  Bunker 
Hill  on  short  notice,  and  he  would  go  now ;  so  he  bade  his 
mother  good  by,  and  was  gone. 

One  of  the  captains  of  the  Massachusetts  Sixth  regiment 
stated  that  four  hundred  were  refused  admittance  to  the  ranks. 
"  It  went  agin  me,"  said  he,  "  to  leave  one  fellow  behind. 
When  we  told  him  he  could  not  go — '  I've  walked  fourteen 
miles.'  exclaimed  he,  '  and  given  up  a  situation  of  a  dollar  and 
a  quarter  a  day  just  to  go,  and  I  think  you  might  take  me.' 
When  I  had  to  refuse,"  said  the  Captain,  "he  sat  down  and 
cried." 

A  Southern  merchant  wrote  to  a  large  firm  in  New  York, 
requesting  a  list  of  the  names  of  those  who  supported  and 
sympathized  with  the  "movement  against  the  South."  The 
New  Yorker  replied  by  sending  through  Adams  &  Co.'s  Ex 
press,  a  copy  of  the  "  City  Directory  P 


68  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

A  wealthy  Quaker  merchant  in  New  York,  had  in  his  em 
ploy  a  stout,  healthy,  able-bodied  young  man,  without  family. 
He  thought  the  fellow  could  serve  his  country  to  advantage, 
an^.  he  accordingly  addressed  him  thus  :  "  William,  if  it  is  thy 
desire  to  become  a  soldier,  thou  art  at  liberty  to  do  so,  and  thy 
salary  shall  be  continued  during  thy  absence  as  if  thou  wert 
here  ;  but  if  thou  dost  not  desire  to  become  a  soldier  and  serve 
thy  country,  I  no  longer  require  thy  services  here."  The 
young  man  enlisted 

"  My  son,"  said  a  solid  merchant  to  his  heir  and  namesake, 
"  I  would  rather  give  $1,000  than  have  you  go  to  Washington 
soldiering."  "  Father,"  was  the  kindly  but  decided  response, 
"if  you  could  make  it  $100,000  it  would  be  of  no  use;  for 
where  the  Seventh  regiment  goes,  I  go." 

Before  the  sailing  of  the  Columbia,  transport  from  New  York, 
a  demand  was  made  in  the  name  of  the  regiment  that  the 
emblematic  Palmetto  trees  on  the  bow,  paddle-boxes,  and  stern, 
should  be  painted  black.  The  ceremony  of  obliteration  was 
performed  amid  the  most  unbounded  applause  of  the  regiment, 
and  the  citizens  on  the  wharf 

The  Harmony  Society,  of  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  deposited  five 
thousand  dollars  in  the  bank  at  New  Brighton,  to  the  order  of 
Daniel  Agnew,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Safety,  for  such 
general  purposes  as  the  war  movements  might  require.  This 
society  consists  of  men  of  advanced  age  and  peaceful  pursuits, 
too  old  for  active  defense ;  but  they  were  patriotic,  and  deter 
mined  to  do  all  that  loyal  citizens  could  do  for  the  Government 

A  lady  of  known  patriotism  who  had  done  good  service  in 
sewing  and  contributing  for  the  volunteers,  visited  her  country 
place  in  By  berry,  near  Philadelphia,  when  the  farmer,  in  honor 
of  her  arrival,  run  up  a  flag  upon  the  barn.  Said  flag  had 
been  made  some  years  ago  for  the  children,  and,  to  economise 
material  and  stitches,  contained  but  three  stripes  and  a  short 
dozen  of  stars.  Some  of  the  neighbors  beheld  the  tri-striped 


OF     THE     WAR.  69 

colors  and  at  once  gave  the  alarm.  In  a  short  time  an  excited 
crowd  from  all  the  country  around  approached  the  place,  bran 
dishing  weapons  of  every  description,  threatening  to  burn  down 
the  buildings.  They  took  the  strange  flag  to  mean  secession. 
It  was  promptly  removed,  and  the  crowd  invited  to  an  extem 
pore  collation. 

Among  other  incidents  worthy  of  mention  is  that  of  Kode- 
rick  W.  Cameron,  a  worthy  Scotchman,  one  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  New  York,  who  was  offered  a  place  on  the  staff  of 
the  brigade  in  which  the  Seventy-ninth  (Scotch)  regiment  was 
to  serve.  In  answer  to  the  offer  he  said  : 

"  MY  DEAR  COLONEL  :  I  am  rejoiced  to  see  the  prompt  ac 
tion  of  the  gallant  Seventy-ninth. 

"  Scotchmen  are  invariably  true  to  their  allegiance.  Although 
as  a  subject  of  Great  Britain,  I  could  not  accept  the  flattering 
offer  tendered  to  me  by  your  good  self,  of  a  staff  appointment  ; 
still,  there  is  no  reason  why  a  good  subject  of  Great  Britain 
should  not  be  an  acceptable  volunteer  to  defend  the  laws  and 
the  flag  of  this  great  country.  I  therefore  heartily  tender  my 
self  to  serve  in  the  ranks  of  the  Seventy-ninth  Highlanders, 
and  share  the  dangers  of  those  who  wear  the  tartan  of  my  clan. 
I  cannot  promise  to  be  constantly  with  the  regiment,  but  if 
danger  threatens,  I  will  endeavor  to  be  present  at  the  moment 
when  the  first  shot  is  fired. 

"  All  loyal  Britons  must  feel  as  I  do,  that  it  is  for  the  honor 
and  safety  of  Great  Britain  to  support  their  cousins  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  maintain  the  Stars  and  Stripes  as  an  em 
blem  of  true  freedom  on  this  continent." 

It  was  this  gallant  Seventy-ninth  which  Colonel  Cameron 
(a  brother  of  the  then  Secretary  of  War)  led  to  battle,  (Bull 
Eun,)  and,  in  leading  them,  perished. 

The  Cincinnati  Times  related  a  good  story  of  an  old  fifer 
employed  at  the  Military  Institute  near  Frankfort,  Kentucky. 
The  old  fellow  had  served  in  the  North-west  in  the  second  war 
with  Great  Britain,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames 


70  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

and  other  fights.  During  the  late  Secession  tornado  over 
Kentucky,  the  cadets,  affected  with  the  fever,  talked  pretty 
severely  against  those  devoted  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  The 
old  veteran  listened,  but  said  nothing.  One  evening  he  went 
into  the  room  of  our  informant,  and  seemed  to  be  in  some 
thing  of  a  passion.  He  paced  backward  and  forward,  saying 
nothing,  and  refusing  to  answer  all  questions.  At  last  he 
pulled  out  his  fife,  and,  sitting  down,  sent  forth  "Yankee 
Doodle"  with  its  shrillest  strains.  Then  he  played  "  Hail 
Columbia,"  and  then  "  The  Star-Spangled  Banner,"  while  the 
tears  rolled  down  his  aged  and  weather-beaten  cheeks.  Con 
cluding  that,  he  jumped  to  his  feet,  and  exclaimed :  "Now, 
d — n  'em,  I  guess  they  knoiv  which  side  Pm  on  /" 

Five  sons  of  one  mother  volunteered  at  the  first  call  for 
troops.  The-  mother  was  absent  from  home  at  the  time,  and 
was  informed  by  letter  of  the  step  taken  by  her  sons.  Her 
reply  deserves  to  be  embalmed  in  the  casket  of  the  Eoman 
mother's  jewels.  It  read  : 

"  MY  DEAR  HUSBAND  :  Your  letter  came  to  hand  last  even 
ing.  I  must  confess  I  was  startled  by  the  news  referring  to 
our  boys,  and  for  the  moment  I  felt  as  though  a  ball  had 
pierced  my  own  heart.  For  the  first  time  I  was  obliged  to 
look  things  full  in  the  face.  But  although  I  have  always 
loved  my  children  with  a  love  that  none  but  a  mother  can 
know,  yet,  when  I  look  at  the  state  of  my  country,  I  cannot 
withhold  them  ;  and  in  the  name  of  their  God,  and  their  mo 
ther's  God,  and  their  country's  God,  I  bid  them  go.  If  I  had 
ten  sons,  instead  of  five,  I  would  give  them  all  sooner  than 
have  our  country  rent  in  fragments.  The  Constitution  must 
be  sustained  at  any  cost.  We  have  a  part  to  act  and  a  duty 
to  perform,  and  may  God,  our  father,  strengthen  us,  and  nerve 
us  to  the  task,  and  enable  us  to  say,  Whatever  Thou  requirest 
that  will  I  cheerfully  give  and  do.  May  He  bless  and  protect 
our  dear  children,  and  bring  them  home  to  us  in  safety.  I 
hope  you  will  provide  them  each  with  a  Bible,  and  give  them 
their  mother's  love  and  blessing,  and  tell  them  our  prayers 


OF     THE     WAR.  71 

will  accompany  them,  and  ascend  on  their  behalf  night  and 
day." 

Colonel  Hazard,  the  great  powder  manufacturer,  wrote  to 
Colonel  Colt  as  follows  : 

"  I  am  informed  that  the  regiment  you  are  so  generously 
and  patriotically  arming  and  fitting  out  is  nearly  full  May  I 
be  permitted,  through  you,  and  in  behalf  of  my  company,  to 
furnish  them  with  powder  sufficient  for  fifty  thousand  cart 
ridges,  or  as  much  as  you  may  require  for  target  practice, 
•  which  they  and  you  will  please  accept  from  your  friend." 

Colonel  Colt  fitted  out  and  fully  armed  with  his  choicest 
weapons  a  complete  regiment  As  early  as  January,  1861,  it 
is  said,  the  Colonel  gave  orders  that  no  arms  should  be  sold 
to  the  South.  It  has  been  stated  that  arms  were  supplied  to 
all  orders  up  to  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities,  though  it  is  cer 
tain  that  Colonel  Colt  was  thoroughly  loyal 

A  letter  from  Philadelphia,  dated  April  21st,  gave  this  pic 
ture  of  affairs  in  that  city  :  "  Pennsylvania  has  for  once  eclips 
ed  New  York  !  In  this  contest  for  the  prize  of  self-sacrificing 
patriotism  which  now  prevails  among  the  States,  you  can  gen 
erously  afford  to  listen  and  acknowledge  the  fact.  Pennsyl 
vania  passed  the  first  thoroughgoing  war  bill,  authorizing  the 
Governor  to  call  out  any  number  of  menf  and  giving  $500,000. 
New  York  followed  with  $3,000,000  and  thirty  thousand  men. 
This  was  worthy  of  the  great  heart  of  New  York  It  electri 
fied  and  staggered  us — we  were  fairly  outdone.  But  when 
Sumter  was  assailed  we  recovered  our  equilibrium,  and  our 
Legislature,  by  unanimous  vote — the  whole  Democracy  fusing 
with  us — -pledged  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  '  to  any  amount, 
and  to  every  extent,'  to  sustain  the  Government  and  put  down 
treason.  There  it  stands  upon  the  record,  wholly  unsurpassed, 
overtopping  even  glorious  New  York.  Do  what  others  may, 
can  any  devotion  to  the  Union  exceed  this  ?  Now  this  is  not 
bravado.  Oar  whole  population  is  ablaze  with  eagerness  to 
see  it  realized.  Our  city  banks  immediately  offered  all  the 


72  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

money  Pennsylvania  might  want.  Private  citizens  tendered 
money  in  amounts  never  before  offered,  and  I  do  believe  that 
if  Government  were  to  offer  $100,000,000  of  Treasury  notes  in 
Pennsylvania,  small  enough  for  general  circulation,  they  woul& 
be  absorbed  in  less  than  thirty  days.  Our  confidence  in  the 
Government  is  firmer  than  it  ever  was,  and  every  new  devel 
opment  of  its  vigorous  policy  serves  to  strengthen  it.  Two 
such  communities  as  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  moving 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  seeking  to  outdo  each  other  in  the  race 
of  devotion  to  a  common  country,  present  a  spectacle  at  which 
the  world  may  not  only  wonder,  but  exult,  and  before  which 
treason  will,  ere  yet,  call  upon  the  mountains  to  cover  it. 

"  On  Friday  last  it  was  discovered  that  ten  thousand  uni 
forms  for  our  volunteers  must  be  supplied  by  the  State,  and 
orders  were  at  once  issued  for  making  them.  The  empty  Gi- 
rard  House  was  rented,  an  army  of  cutters  employed,  cloth 
furnished  by  merchants  at  mere  nominal  prices,  and  our  wo- 
men,  taking  fire  at  the  call,  came  by  thousands  to  offer  their 
help  to  make  up.  No  such  sight  was  ever  seen.  The  large 
building  is  now  filled  with  ladies,  wives  of  our  best  citizens, 
with  their  daughters,  working  all  day  on  coats  and  blankets, 
aided  by  an  army  of  sewing-machines.  At  lea,st  three  thou 
sand  persons,  mostly  ladies,  are  now  at  work,  aided  by  one 
hundred  cutters.  Ladies  come  from  all  parts,  town  and  coun 
try,  volunteering  to  take  home  work,  and  Chesnut  street  is 
fairly  blocked  up  with  these  patriotic  women  seeking  to  do 
something  for  the  cause.  The  work  thus  goes  bravely  on. 
Another  incident  of  the  times  is  the  organization  of  a  body  of 
some  three  hundred  women  as  nurses,  experienced  hands,  who 
intend  going  with  the  troops  to  take  care  of  the  sick  and 
wounded.  Most  of  these  are  young  women  in  robust  health 
Thi^  same  anxiety  to  aid  the -cause  appears  in  all  the  neigh 
boring  towns.  In  short,  the  spectacle  of  a  people  so  united 
has  probably  never  been  seen." 

The  same  letter  added  these  incidents  of  the  hour  :  "  The 
general  enthusiasm  breaks  forth  in  a  multitude  of  novel  shapes. 
Boys  are  peddling  Union  flags  mounted  on  sticks  in  all  our 


OF     THE     WAR.  78 

thoroughfares,  and  from  their  hands  they  find  their  way  into 
all  the  neighboring  towns,  where  they  hang  from  window  and 
doorpost  Men  walk  our  streets  under  umbrellas  made  of 
material  printed  with  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  The  first  who 
showed  himself  under  such  a  banner  was  greeted  with  cheers 
as  he  moved  along.  Union  parasols  of  printed  silks  are  com 
ing  out  for  the  ladies.  Four  hundred  girls  in  one  of  our  pub 
lie  schools  have  each  contributed  stitches  in  a  huge  flag,  and 
raised  it  on  the  school-house  amid  tremendous  cheering.  The 
women  are  working  laboriously  for  the  volunteers  and  their 
families,  whom  they  leave  behind  them.  One  lady  has  smug 
gled  herself  in  as  a  volunteer  alongside  her  husband,  dressed 
in  a  suit  of  his  clothes,  and  passing  as  his  brother.  Others, 
unmarried,  have  offered  themselves  as  vivandiers,  to  accom 
pany  the  troops.  The  owners  of  many  small  houses  occupied 
by  departing  volunteers  have  notified  them  that  they  shall 
charge  no  rent  while  they  are  absent  at  the  wars,  and  others 
are  imitating  the  example  thus  set.  A  vast  array  of  names — 
some  forty  thousand — has  been  signed  to  the  pledge  of  faith 
fulness  to  the  Government,  drawn  up  and  headed  by  Horace 
Binney.  Captain  Archambault,  an  old  officer  under  Napoleon, 
has  called  out  the  French  citizens  to  swell  the  ranks  of  the 
Garde  Lafayette  under  his  command,  and  they  respond  heart 
ily.  The  utmost  rivalry  prevails  among  the  companies  now 
forming  as  to  which  shall  be  first  filled.  Drilling  goes  on 
nightly  in  at  least  fifty  places.  I  saw  some  six  hundred  vol 
unteers  marching  in  one  body  behind  the  recruiting  officer, 
through  as  drenching  a  rain  as  ever  fell.  The  Stock  Brokers, 
as  a  body,  have  unanimously  pledged  themselves  to  sustain 
the  Government.  The  Drug  Exchange  people  have  done  the 
same  thing.  Factory  hands  are  every  where  giving  combined 
expression  to  similar  sentiments.  Men  over  sixty  years  old 
are  presenting  themselves  as  volunteers,  and  insisting  on  being 
accepted.  Merchants  and  business  men,  exempt  by  age  from 
military  duty,  have  organized  a  home  guard  of  ten  thousand 
for  city  defense.  Arms  are  in  great  demand,  and  our  manu 
factures  are  as  busy  as  bees.  There  is  a  complete  cessation 
&  10 


74  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

of  shipments  of  all  kinds  of  merchandise  to  the  rebel  States, 
money  in  hand  not  tempting  our  citizens  to  either  feeding  or 
clothing  them.  I  hear  a  rumor  of  a  force  of  five  thousand 
blacks  being  organized.  They  offer  to  raise  that  number  of 
men  provided  a  pledge  is  given  them  that  they  will  be  march 
ed  directly  down  among  the  rebels.  Such  a  body  could  be 
raised  here,  and  in  this  neighborhood." 

It  may  be  said,  in  reference  to  this  last  sentence  regarding 
$ie  blacks,  that  great  numbers  of  those  residing  in  the  North 
ern  States — large  numbers  of  whom  were  well-to-do  people — 
were  anxious  to  serve  their  country  ;  but,  in  no  instance  dur 
ing  the  war  were  they  called  into  field  service.  Numbers  of 
"  contrabands"  were  employed  in  camp,  hospital  and  laborer 
service  ;  but,  throughout  all  the  war  the  loyal  blacks  were  not 
permitted  to  take  up  arms.  The  reason,  doubtless,  was,  that  a 
great  hue  and  cry  would  have  been  raised  by  the  enemies  of 
this  Government,  here  and  in  Europe,  that  the  negroes  were 
being  let  loose  to  "  commit  atrocities"  upon  the  South.  As  if 
negroes  could  rival  in  atrocity  the  savages  who  made  drinking 
cups  of  the  skulls  of  the  "  Fire  Zouaves,"  and  who  brutally 
scourged,  starved,  robbed  and  hung  the  defenseless  Unionists 
of  Tennessee  !  When  Parson  Brownlow,  at  an  early  day  of 
the  rebellion,  said  :  "  If  it  shall  so  happen,  in  the  progress  of 
affairs,  that  the  authorities  of  the  land  shall  give  us  our 
choice,  and  submit  the  same  to  us  as  an  ultimatum,  either  to 
go  to  h —  or  take  refuge  in  the  Southern  Confederacy,  we  will 
claim  a  week  to  consider  of  the  matter,  and  to  make  up  our 
mind,  as  between  the  two  evils" — he  simply  showed  that  he 
appreciated  the  spirit  of  malice  and  evil  upon  which  the  whole 

movement  was  founded. 

. 

The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  news  dealt  out  to  the 
Southern  people.  It  is  from  a  New  Orleans  journal : 
"  All  the  Massachusetts  troops  now  in  Washington  are  ne 
groes,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  drummer-boys. 
General  Butler,  in  command,  is  a  native  of  Liberia.  Our 
readers  may  recollect  old  Ben,  the  barber,  who  kept  a  shop  in 


OF     THE     WAR.  75 

Poydras  street,  and  emigrated  to  Liberia  with  a  small  compe 
tence.  General  Butler  is  his  son."  As  General  Butler  and 
some  Massachusetts  troops  had  the  pleasure  of  taking  posses 
sion  of  New  Orleans,  the  people*  of  that  city  had  an  oppor 
tunity  of  testing  his  "quality." 

When  General  Butler,  in  command  of  the  Massachusetts 
regiments,  landed  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  some  of  the  authorities 
protested  against  the  passage  of  Massachusetts  troops  over 
Maryland  soil ;  to  which  he  replied :  "  Sir,  we  came  here  not  as 
citizens  of  Massachusetts,  but  as  citizens  of  and  soldiers  of  the 
United  States,  with  no  intention  to  invade  any  State,  but  to 
protect  the  Capital  of  our  common  country  from  invasion.  We 
shall  give  no  cause  of  offense ;  but  there  must  be  no  fugitive 
shots  or  stray  bricks  on  the  way." 

Butler's  troops  soon  became  noted  for  their  general  efficiency. 
Probably  no  regiment  was  called  to  the  field,  embodying  more 
ingenious  men  than  the  Massachusetts  Eighth.  When  sailors 
were  wanted  to  take  the  Constitution  ("Old  Ironsides")  out  of 
clanger  in  Annapolis  harbor,  fifty-four  men  stepped  from  the 
ranks.  When  the  railway  to  the  Annapolis  junction  with  the 
Washington  railway  was  seized  for  the  transport  service  of  the 
Government,  the  only  engine  was  found  crippled  and  useless. 
Butler's  call  for  machinists  was  answered  by  eight  excellent 
workmen — one  of  whom  had  helped  to  construct  that  identical 
engine.  The  machine  was  in  running  order  in  two  hours' 
time.  The  railway  track  had  been  torn  up,  culverts  destroyed, 
bridges  burned :  the  men  were  there  to  place  all  in  order. 

The  Sixth  Massachusetts  regiment— the  regiment  assailed 
by  the  mob  in  Baltimore — was  chiefly  drawn  from  the  county 
of  Middlesex,  which  embraces  the  battle-fields  of  Bunker's 
•Hill,  Concord  and  Lexington,  and  many  of  the  men  were  line 
al  descendants  of  those  who  fought  on  those  fields. 

In  the  Fifth  Massachusetts  was  the  Concord  company,  four 


76  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

members  of  which  were  named  Buttrick,  sons  of  one  man,  a 
direct  descendant  from  the  Colonel  Buttrick  who  gave  the 
command  at  Concord  bridge :'  "  Fire,  fellow  soldiers  1  for  God'a 
sake,  fire  I " 

How  it  sounded,  to  Northern  ears  at  least,  to  hear  its  volun 
teers  characterised  as  the  lowest  scum  of  society.  The  Ealeigh 
Banner  said,  in  urging  the  attack  on  Washington  City :  "  The 
army  of  the  South  will  be  composed  of  the  best  material  that 
ever  yet  made  up  an  army ;  whilst  that  of  Lincoln  will  be 
gathered  from  the  sewers  of  the  cities — the  degraded,  beastly 
offscourings  of  all  quarters  of  the  world,  who  will  serve  for  pay, 
and  run  away  as  soon  as  they  can  when  danger  threatens 
them."  The  Charleston  Mercury  characterised  our  troops  as 
"invading  swine."  And  so  of  almost  innumerable  papers. 
The  opinion  was  so  sedulously  disseminated  that  the  Northern 
volunteers  were  a  beggarly  set  of  cowards,  (see  page  40,)  that 
the  only  wonder  is,  Southern  "gentlemen"  could  consent  to 
take  the  field  against  them.  The  Mobile  Advertiser  enlight 
ened  us  in  this  fashion :  "  Our  volunteer  soldiery  is  not  the 
soldiery  of  necessity — men  worth  their  hundreds  of  thousands 
carry  the  musket  in  the  ranks.  Plenty  reigns  in  our  dwellings, 
and  is  gladly  abandoned  for  the  privations  of  the  camp.  Such 
is  the  materiel  with  which  we  meet  a  mercenary  pauper  sol 
diery.  Who  would  doubt  the  issue  when  it  is  man  to  man  ? 
The  creatures  of  one  side,  sordid  and  indifferent,  fight  for  so 
much  per  diem  as  the  alternative  of  starvation.  The  men  on 
the  other  side  fight  for  rights  and  liberties,  filled  with  ardor  by 
the  noblest  impulses.  Let  these  foes  meet  in  pitched  battle, 
and  the  sons  of  the  South  will  triumph,  were  the  enemy  five 
to  one."  Alas !  how  their  dream  dissolved  in  mist — how  their 
tune  changed  before  a  twelvemonth ! 

Let  us  append,  as  a  comment  on  the  above,  the  following 
pleasing  incident  from  the  New  York  Sun : — "  A  tall,  splendid- 
looking  man,  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  the  Allen  Greys,  Ver 
mont,  stood  conversing  with  a  friend  on  Broadway.  He  was 


tOF     THE     WAE.  77 

entirely  unconscious  that  his  superior  height  was  attracting 
universal  attention,  until  a  splendid  barouche  drove  up  to  the 
sidewalk,  and  a  young  man  sprang  from  it  and  grasped  his 
hand,  saying,  '  You  are  the  most  splendid  specimen  of  hu 
manity  I  ever  saw.  I  am  a  Southerner,  but  my  heart  is  with 
the  Union ;  if  it  were  not,  such  noble-looking  fellows  as  your 
self  would  enlist  me  in  the  cause.'  The  subject  of  the  remark, 
although  surprised,  was  perfectly  self-possessed,  and  answered 
the  cordial  greeting  of  the  young  Southerner  with  warm  enthu 
siasm.  He  was  several  inches  above  six  feet,  and  his  noble, 
open  countenance,  beamed  with  the  ancient  patriotism  of  the 
Green  Mountain  Boys,  of  which  he  was  so  fine  a  specimen. 
He  had  walked  fifteen  miles  from  the  village  of  Chittenden  to 
enlist,  and  was  the  only  representative  of  that  village  ;  but  he 
was  a  host  in  himself.  Long  may  he  live  to  honor  our  Stars 
and  Stripes." 

In  the  same  company  of  one  of  the  Ohio  regiments,  were 
sixteen  brothers  by  the  name  of  Finch,  all  from  Dayton,  in  that 
State,  though  born  in  Germany.  This  remarkable  circum 
stance — sixteen  members  of  one  family  in  one  military  com 
pany — has  not  its  parallel,  we  believe,  in  the  annals  of  war. 

The  Newport  Artillery  (company  F  of  the  First  Ehode  Is 
land  regiment)  has  a  most  notable  history,  which  was  thus 
narrated  by  a  good  authority  :  "  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  military 
organizations  in  the  country.  It  is  an  independent  company, 
and  was  chartered  by  the  British  Crown  in  1741.  "With  but 
three  exceptions  since  that  time  (during  the  Revolutionary 
war,  when  Newport  was  in  possession  of  English  and  Hessian 
troops)  the  company  has  held  annual  meetings  under  the 
charter  and  elected  officers,  who  consist  of  a  Colonel  and  others 
connected  with  a  regiment.  The  names  of  Generals  Greene 
and  Yaughan,  of  Kevolutionary  fame,  Commodore  Perry,  and 
other  distinguished  personages,  are  among  the  enrolled  mem 
bers  of  the  company,  which  number  between  two  and  three 
thousand  since  its  organization.  In  their  armory,  at  Newport, 
they  have  an  autograph  letter  from  General  George  "VYashing- 

G2 


78  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

ton,  written  in  1792,  thanking  them  for  an  invitation  to  be 
with  them  at  their  annual  celebration  on  the  22d  of  February 
of  that  year,  which  is  handsomely  framed.  Of  the  fifty-two 
active  members,  forty-seven  volunteered  their  services  for  the 
defense  of  the  National  Capital,  when  Governor-  Sprague  tele 
graphed  to  inquire  the  number  of  men  they  could  furnish,  and 
in  a  few  hours  the  number  was  increased  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  by  recruits. 


THE     HUMOR     OF     THE     HOUR. 

One  of  the  Ohio  regiments  chose  for  its  chaplain  Kev.  Gran- 
ville  Moody,  a  well-known  Methodist  minister.  He  refused  to 
serve  except  the  regiment  properly  equipped  him  with  a  full 
fighting  costume,  "for,"  said  he,  "in  our  persuasion  we  do  not 
believe  in  faith  without  works."  A  good  thing  is  also  told  of 
another  "  member  of  the  cloth,"  in  Ohio — Bev.  Mr.  Beattie, 
of  Cleveland.  Presenting  a  revolver  to  a  member  of  the 
Seventh  (Ohio)  regiment,  he  said  :  "  If  you  get  in  a  tight  spot, 
and  have  to  use  it,  ask  God's  blessing  if  you  have  time,  but  be 
sure  and  not  let  your  enemy  get  the  start  of  you.  You  can  say 
'  AmenT  after  you  shoot  /" 

Corporal  Tyler,  of  the  Massachusetts  Sixth  regiment,  when 
describing  his  experience  in  Baltimore,  says  he  saw  a  man  with 
three  stones  under  his  arm  and  one  in  his  hand,  pelting  away 
at  the  troops,  when  he  fired  at  him,  and — to  use  Mr.  Tyler's 
own  language — "  The  man  dropped  the  bricfo,  and  laid  down" 

Southern  Illinois  was  named  "  Egypt,"  because  of  the  mul 
titude  of  Southern  men  who  had  brought,  as  residents,  igncr 


OF     THE     WAR.  79 

ranee,  and  its  concomitant,  insolence,  along  with  them.  During 
the  excitement  following  upon  the  President's  call  for  troops, 
the  Southern  spirit  manifested  itself  pretty  plainly  in  the  lower 
section  of  the  Prairie  State.  The  occupation  of  Cairo  by  the 
Federal  forces  effectually  "  squelched"  this  secession  spirit  An 
old  farmer  one  day  said  to  the  Chicago  Light  Artillery,  whose 
guns  made  Cairo  a  terror  to  Secessionists  along  the  two  rivers : 
"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  boys,  them  brass  missionaries  has  con 
verted  a  heap  of  folks  hereabouts  that  was  on  the  anxious  seat, 
and  scared  some  others  right  into  kingdom  come  /" 

A  deputation  of  sixteen  Virginians  and  eight  Marylanders 
visited  the  President  on  the  21st  of  April,  and  demanded  a 
cessation  of  hostilities  until  after  the  session  of  Congress  !  Mr. 
Lincoln,  of  course,  declined  the  proposition.  One  of  the  depu 
tation  said,  that  75,000  Marylanders  would  contest  the  passage 
of  troops  over  her  soil ;  to  which  the  President  replied,  that  he 
presumed  there  was  room  enough  on  her  soil  to  bury  75,000 
men.  This  is  grim  humor,  but  a  fine  instance  of  dignified 
retaliation  to  threat. 

The  Charleston  Mercury  relagated  its  readers  with  these  tales 
of  the  Fire  Zouaves — a  regiment  which  struck  more  real  terror 
to  the  Southern  heart  than  any  other  brought  into  the  service 
during  the  entire  war. 

"  The  first  inquiry  made  by  the  Fire  Zouaves  on  landing  at 
"Washington,  was,  with  grave-faced  earnestness,  "  Can  you  tell 
us  where  Jefferson  Davis  is?  we're  lookin'  for  him."  "  Yes," 
said  another,  "  we're  bound  to  hang  his  scalp  in  the  White 
House  before  we  go  back"  Another  one,  whose  massive  un- 
derjaw  and  breadth  of  neck  indicated  him  'some  in  a  plug 
muss,'  remarked,  that  they  had  expected  to  have  arrived  by 
way  of  Baltimore.  "  We  would  have  come  through  Baltimore 
like  a  dose  of  salts,"  he  added,  with  an  air  of  disappointment 
One  of  them  beckoned  a  citizen,  confidentially,  to  his  side,  and 
inquired,  "  Is  there  any  secession  flags  about  here?"  He  was 
assured  that  secession  bunting  was  an  article  that  did  not  pre 
vail  there.  He  nodded,  and  added,  "  I  only  wanted  to  know." 


80  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

"  On  coming  down  the  Avenue,  the  Franklin  Fire  Company 
reel  passed  them  at  a  sharp  run,  on  its  way  to  a  fire ;  and  the 
familiar  apparatus  was  saluted  with  such  a  yell  of  recognition 
along  the  entire  line,  as  mast  have  fairly  astonished  the  staid 
old  reel. 

"  Somebody  remarked  to  one  of  the  b'hoys,  that  his  hair  was 
cut  rayther  short.  "  Oh,  yes,"  was  the  reply,  "  we  all  had  our 
heads  filed  before  we  left  New  York"  They  all  look  like 
righting  boys ;  but  one  company  seems  to  have  a  special  pres 
tige  that  way.  "  If  there's  any  mischief  done,  lay  it  onto 
Company  68,"  seemed^to  be  a  pet  phrase  amongst  the  b'hoys, 

"  Some  of  the  Zouaves,  in  emerging  from  their  quarters  (Co 
lumbian  Market  building)  this  morning,  disdaining  the  tedious, 
common-place  mode  of  exit  by  the  stairway,  let  themselves 
down  to  the  street  from  the  third  story  by  a  rope,  like  so  many 
monkeys." 

"  One  blank  cartridge,  hereafter,  Captain,  will  be  sufficient ; 
that  being  given,  you  can  fire  with  ball ;  ammunition  is  just 
now  rather  expensive,"  said  General  Lyon  to  one  of  his  cap 
tains,  after  four  blank  shots  had  been  fired  to  bring  about  a 
steamboat  that  was  passing  the  arsenal  at  St.  Louis,  without 
answering  the  summons  of  the  river  guard. 

This,  from  "  Secessia,"  will  bear  repeating.  The  New  Or 
leans  authorities  seized  a  ship  called  American  Union.  The 
telegraph  operators  were  somewhat  confounded  when  the  cap 
tain  (Lincoln)  called  on  them  to  send  a  dispatch  of  this  nature : 

"  W.  V.  0.  Moses,  Bath — American  Union  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy. 

(Signed)  "  A  LINCOLN,  Master." 

The  Orescent  says  the  operator  would  not  let  it  go.  "  Why 
not  ?"  says  the  red-haired  captain.  Operator  replies,  "The 
Governor  must  countersign  it."  The  captain  inquires,  "  Where 
is  the  Governor  ?"  "  On  Canal  street,  at  his  office,"  replies 
the  operator.  Off  goes  the  captain  to  Governor  Moore,  pre 
sents  the  dispatch,  who  was  taken  all  aback,  and  so  much 


OF     THE     WAR.  81 

amused,  that  the  American  Union,  Captain  Lincoln,  "was  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy/'  that  he  permitted  the  dispatch  to  go, 
saying,  with  a  smile,  to  the  Captain,  that  it  would  be  so  by- 
and-by.  • 

Nobody  persecuted  the  South  more  than  George  D.  Prentice, 
editor  of  the  Louisville  (Kentucky)  Journal.  His  words  of 
satire,  daggers  of  derision,  lightnings  of  lampoon,  and  wither 
ing  storms  of  wit,  did  more  outrage  upon  the"  feelings  of  the 
rebels  than  a  dozen  battles  lost  to  them.  In  the  earlier  stages 
of  rebellion,  his  paper  fairly  scintillated  with  the  flashes  of  its 
keen-cutting  ,  though  invisible,  weapons.  We  here  quote  a 
few  paragraphs  by  way  of  illustration  : 

It  will  be  a  hard  fight,  and  perhaps  about  an  even  one  be 
tween  the  United  States  and  the  Confederate  States.  The 
former  has  twice  as  many  men  and  five  times  as  much  money 
as  the  latter,  but  the  latter  has  Colonel  Blanton  Duncan.  The 
thing  is  about  even,  we  guess. 

The  Mobile  Register  recommends  the  Secessionists  to  sell 
their  watches.  They  might  as  well — have  been  behind  the 
time,  for  a  long  while,  by  several  centuries.  If  they  wait  a 
little,  however,  the  United  States  will  furnish  them  with 
"  regulators." 

Some  people  kick  a  little  at  the  Morrill  tariff.  This  is 
small  business,  just  now,  when .  the  rebels  and  their  abettors 
are  kicking  over  the  moral  tariff,  in  the  face  of  all  Christendom. 

Something  the  enemy  will  not  be  likely  to  do — Go  Scott- 
free. 

A  Northern  editor  calls  Virginia  "  the  seat  of  war  and  the 
seat  of  honor."  He  is  making  a  butt  of  her. 

A  man  upwards  of  fifty  years  of  age  has  sent  us  a  commu 
nication,  insisting  upon  Kentucky's  plunging  into  the  war. 
We  can  understand  why  these  old  codgers  are  so  anxious  for 
hostilities.  They  know  that  their  age  would  protect  them  from 
service,  whilst  we  young  fellows  would  have  to  do  all  the 
fighting. 

The  North.  Carolina  Sentinel  says  that  a  military  company, 
11 


82  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

just  organized  in  its  town,  has  "elected  Mr.  Wing,  Captain, 
and  Mr.  Head,  First  Lieutenant"  That  company  is  like  a 
sleeping  hen — it  has  its  Head  under  its  Wing. 

The  prevalence  of  patriotism  at  the  Worth,  in  its  entire  ig 
noring  of  partisanship  and  politics,  suggests  the  coining  of  a 
new  word  for  its  proper  expression,  viz. : — UNIONIMITY. 

Who  wants  a  better  "  National  Him"  than  General  Scott? 
UNIVERSITY  OF  VIRGINIA,  May  17th,  1861. 

PRENTICE — Stop  my  paper.  I  can't  afford  to  read  abbolition 
journals  these  times — the  atmosphere  of  old  Virginia  will  not 
admit  of  such  a  filthy  sheet  as  yours  has  grown  to  be. 

Yours,  etc.,  GEOKGE  LAKE. 

To  Editors  of  Louisville  Journal. 

LAKE  ! — I  think  it  a  great  pity  that  a  young  man  should  go 
to  a  University  to  graduate  a  traitor  and  a  blackguard — and 
so  ignorant  as  to  spell  abolition  with  two  "  b's."  G.  D.  P. 

The  Charleston  Mercury  calls  the  Yankee  troops,  now  threat 
ening  the  South,  "  tin  peddlers."  It  is  true  that  the  Yankees 
have,  generally,  in  their  visits  South,  peddled  tin,  but  we  guess 
they  mean  to  peddle  lead  this  time. 

The  man  who,  to  make  a  show  of  chivalry,  would  wantonly 
provoke  a  war,  the  horrors  of  which  must  fall  upon  his  wife 
and  children,  is  unworthy  to  have  wife  and  children. 

If  any  man  scratched  a  name  from  our  noble  ticket  on  Sat 
urday,  we  hope  that  his  wife  (if  any  woman  has  the  hard  luck 
to  be  his  wife)  scratched  his  face  when  he  went  to  tea. 

Some  fellows  are  getting  to  call  every  man  who  is  for  the 
Union,  an  Abolitionist.  We  have  only  to  say  that  any  man 
who  applies  that  term  to  us  is  a  base  liar.  We  mean  this  for 
any  "  chivalrous"  son  of  the  South  who  wishes  to  make  his 
words  good. 

Mr.  Yancey  has  not  been  publicly  received  by  the  British 
Ministry,  yet  he  seems  to  have  succeeded  in  getting  its  private- 
ear — (privateer. ) 

Humphreys  county,  Tennessee,  is  a  fighting  district  A 
Nashville  paper  would  have  us  believe  that  seven  hundred 
recruits  came  from  it  to  join  the  Secession  army,  and  when  the 


OFTHEWAK.  83 

last  company  left,  they  had  to  tie  the  old  men  to  keep  them  from 
going  ;  and  that  the  women  in  that  county,  even,  are  ready  now 
to  volunteer  in  the  service  of  the  Confederate  States.  This  is 
the  first  time  we  ever  heard  of  a  Tennessee  woman  offering  to 
serve  in  a  bad  cause. 

Some  wretch  proposes,  as  a  great  peace  measure,  that  all  the 
lawyers  in  the  country  go  off  to  the  war. 

Why  is  the  Union  like  a  crab-apple  ?  Because  to  be  worth 
anything,  it  must  be  preserved. 

A  Norfolk  paper  says  :  "  While  the  ladies  of  this  city  were 
recently  gathered  in  cutting  out  drawers  for  the  soldiers,  it  ap 
peared  that  after  their  labor  was  concluded,  cloth  was  left  for 
just  one  leg  of  the  same.  The  question  being  raised  as  to 
what  should  be  done  with  this,  one  of  the  number  promptly 
responded,  '  Oh,  that  will  do  for  use,  after  they  get  back' " 
All  very  good — as  far  as  it  goes.  But  as  the  Yankees  don't 
mean  to  leave  any  legs  on  the  Southern  soldiers  who  get  in 
their  way,  the  ladies  of  Norfolk  will  have  to  keep  that  one 
leg  of  a  drawer  to  remind  them  of  what  was.  It  will  be  their 
only  leg-i-see. 

The  Confederates  propose  to  remove  their  capital  to  Bich- 
mond.  As  this  consists  of  stocks,  bonds  and  treasury  notes, 
the  Montgomery  people  will  be  a  little  poorer  and  the  Bich- 
mond  people  little  the  richer  by  this  removal  of  the  deposits. 

The  only  letters  the  Secessionists  will  have  after  the  31st 
instant,  are  their  letters  of  marque — which  are  likely  to  prove 
dead  letters  to  those  who  take  them  out 

It  is  said  that  the  gambling  saloons  in  Washington  are  lan 
guishing  for  want  of  business.  The  patriotic  excitement  in 
the  city  has  been  the  ruin  of  faro,  and  "  the  board  of  green 
cloth"  has  adjourned  sine  DIE.  All  it  has  to  do  is  to  go  after 
its  friends  and  emigrate  to — Eichmond  ! 

The  following  rather  remarkable  story  will  do  to  go  with 
that  mentioned  above,  of  sixteen  brothers  enlisting  in  one 
company.  Though  sounding  somewhat  fabulous,  we  are  as 
sured  of  its  truth.  The  New  York  Evening*  Post  related: 
"  Before  the  departure  of  the  Fourteenth  New  York  regiment, 


84  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

a  man  who  carried  on  a  blacksmith  shop  in  connection  with 
two  of  his  sons,  went  to  the  head-quarters  and  concluded  to 
enlist.  He  said  that  he  could  leave  the  blacksmith  business 
in  the  hands  of  the  boys — '  he  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer, 
and  go  he  must'  He  was  enlisted. 

"Next  day  down  comes  the  oldest  of  the  boys.  The  black 
smith's  business  'wasn't  very  drivin',  and  he  guessed  John 
could  take  care  of  it.'  '  Well,'  said  the  old  man,  *  Go  it.'  And 
the  oldest  son  went  it.  But  the  following  day  John  made  his 
appearance.  He  felt  lonesome,  and  had  shut  up  the  shop. 
The  father  remonstrated,  but  the  boy  would  enlist,  and  enlist 
he  did.  Now  the  old  gentleman  had  two  more  sons  who 
1  worked  the  farm'  near  Flushing,  Long  Island.  The  military 
fever  seems  to  have  run  in  the  family,  for  no  sooner  had  the 
father  and  two  elder  brothers  enlisted,  than  the  younger  sons 
came  in  for  a  like  purpose.  The  pater-familias  was  a  man  of 
few  words,  but  he  said  that  he  'wouldn't  stand  this  anyhow/ 
The  blacksmith  business  might  go  to  —  some  other  place,  but 
the  farm  must  be  looked  after.  So  the  boys  were  sent  home. 
Presently  one  of  them  reappeared.  They  had  concluded  that 
one  could  manage  the  farm,  and  had  tossed  up  who  should  go 
with  the  Fourteenth,  and  he  had  won  the  chance. 

"  This  arrangement  was  finally  agreed  to.  But  on  the  day 
of  departure  the  last  boy  of  the  family  was  on  hand  to  join 
and  on  foot  for  marching.  The  old  man  was  somewhat  puz 
zled  to  know  what  arrangement  could  have  been  made  which 
would  allow  all  of  the  family  to  go,  but  the  explanation  of  the 
boy  solved  the  difficulty :  '  Father,'  said  he,  with  a  confiden 
tial  chuckle  in  the  old  man's  ear :  'I've  let  the  farm  on  shares  P 
The  whole  family — father  and  four  sons — went  with  the  regi 
ment" 

At  Bangor,  Me.,  a  young  man  offered  himself  as  a  recruit  at 
one  of  the  offices  in  that  city,  who,  evidently  being  a  minor, 
was  asked  if  he  had  his  father's  permission  to  volunteer.  He 
replied  that  he  had  no  father ;  but  admitted  that  his  mother 
was  not  willing.  "  Then  you  must  get  your  mother's  consent," 


OF     THE     WAR.  85 

said  the  officer.  The  young  man  retired,  and  returned  with 
the  following  brief  but  noble  letter  : — "He  is  my  all,  but  I  free 
ly  give  him  to  my  country  /" 

An  Indiana  man,  with  hair  whitened  by  age,  applied  for 
admission  to  the  ranks.  He  was  rejected,  owing  to  his  evident 
age.  Eepairing  to  a  barber's  he  had  his  hair  and  beard  color 
ed  black,  and  again  applied.  The  metamorphosis  was  so 
complete  that  he  "passed."  When  asked  his  age  he  replied : 
"rising  of  thirty-five." 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    THE    SOUTH. 

A  BRIEF  section  will  not  be  uninteresting  which  will  show 
to  the  reader  the  spirit  moving  the  Southern  heart  in  the  con 
flict  with  the  North.  It  is  by  knowing  the  hidden  springs  of 
a  man's  actions  that  we  are  best  able  to  judge  him  :  so  of  a 
state,  or  a  country  : — by  knowing  the  animus  of  its  people  we 
are  all  the  better  prepared  to  consider  the  justice  or  injustice 
of  its  cause. 

The  rebellion  sprung  from  a  spirit  of  dishonor.  It  originated 
in  no  "  wrongs"  committed  by  the  North ;  the  North,  as  the 
dominant  section,  had  rather  sacrificed  its  own  feelings  and 
self-respect  to  assist  the  South  to  place  and  prosperity.  From 
the  date  of  the  first  purchases  of  territory  to  add  to  the  area 
of  Slavery  and  its  political  power,  the  South  had  experienced 
only  a  constant  succession  of  benefits  from  the  General  Gov 
ernment.  The  great,  oft  repeated  complaints  of  the  non-en 
forcement  of  the  Fugitive  Slave  law,  was  shown,  over  and  over 

H 


86  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

again,  to  be  most  trifling.*  The  election  of  a  "sectional"  Pre 
sident  was  entirely  and  solely  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
Southern  malcontents  ran  Breckenridge  against  Douglas.  The 
united  vote  for  these  two  Democrats  would  have  defeated  Mr. 
Lincoln  by  over  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  votes !  And, 
all  they  (the  Democrats)  had  to  do  to  elect  their  man,  was  to 
run  but  one  candidate  at  the  next  election.  Besides  this,  they 
first  set  the  example  of  electing  a  purely  "  sectional"  ticket — 
Jackson  and  Calhoun  as  President  and  Yice  President  on  the 
ticket  of  1831,  being  both  Southern  men.  The  asseveration 
of  the  existence  of  an  inimical  feeling  at  the  North  against  the 
South,  was  shown  to  be  unfounded  in  fact;  the  combined 
Democratic  and  Bell-Everett  tickets  polled  within  one  hundred 
thousand  as  many  votes,  in  the  Free  States  alone,  as  were  given 
(in  the  same  States)  to  the  Lincoln  ticket. 

What,  then,  was  the  cause  of  the  secession  rebellion  ?  It 
originated  in  what  the  Western  men  call  a  spirit  of  "pure 
cussedness" — in  the  ambition  of  a  few  daring,  resolute  men  to 
found  a  new  government,  in  which  they  should  be  the  master 
spirits — to  engraft  the  idea  of  property  in  man  upon  the  or 
ganic  law  of  such  Governmentf  and  thus  nationalize  Slavery. 
If  other  causes  existed  they  were  such  as  only  would  serve  to 
strengthen  the  judgment  of  mankind,  that  it  was  one  of  the 
most  wicked  attempts  against  a  good  government  that  the  world 
ever  saw. 

The  spirit  fostered  by  the  conspirators  was  one  of  Evil. 
Their  game  depended  for  its  success  upon  the  complete  aliena 
tion  of  the  South  from  the  North,  and,  in  the  place  of  respect, 
to  plant  the  seeds  of  dislike.  The  press — that  great  engine 
for  evil  or  for  good — in  the  Cotton  States  was  suborned,  bul 
lied,  bought  or  cajoled  into  a  support  of  the  schemes  for  a  new 
confederacy ;  and,  once  on  the  side  of  the  conspiracy,  it  lent 

*  See  the  speeches  of  Mr.  Douglas  and  of  George  E.  Pugh,  United 
States  Senator  from  Ohio,  (a  Breckenridge  Democrat,)  in  the  U.  S.  Sen 
ate,  Dec.  11,  '60. 

t  See  the  Exposition  of  the  Southern  Constitution  made  by  the  Vice- 
President  of  the  Confederate  States  at  Savannah,  March  23d,  1861. 


OF     THE     WAR.  87 

its  energies  to  a  dissemination  of  the  most  shocking  falsehoods 
which  human  depravity  could  conceive.  By  these  falsehoods 
the  masses  of  the  South  were  led  astray,  and  kept  ignorant  of 
the  most  vital  facts.  They  were  excited  into  a  violent  hate  of 
everything  appertaining  to  the  North;  and,  when  the  hour 
came  for  the  shock  of  battle,  the  leaders  found  themselves  at 
the  head  of  a  people  swayed  by  passions  whose  malignancy 
were  only  excelled  by  their  baseness.  Does  this  seem  a  strong 
statement  of  the  case?  Alas!  that  the  page  of  history  is 
darkened  by  a  record  which  proves  all  we  have  asserted  and 
more  than  we  care  to  assert. 

[A  leading  journalist — a  Democrat — who  had  candor  enough 
to  express  his  sentiments  on  the  relations  so  long  existing  be 
tween  his  party  and  the  aristocrats  of  the  South,  wrote  (May 
15th) :  "  Southern  people  misunderstand  us,  and  in  fact  de 
spise  us,  in  so  vital  a  particular  that  we  are  not  fit  to  live  to 
gether  until  both  are  forced  to  mutual  respect.  They  actually 
look  upon  us,  in  regard  to  courage,  ae  little  better  than  so  many 
Chinamen  or  Sepoys,  and  the  secret  of  this  whole  rebellion  is, 
not  any  new  endangerment  of  Slavery,  but  the  revolt  of  a  set 
of  barons,  who  for  thirty  years  have  encouraged  themselves  to 
believe  they  are  of  a  superior  race,  and  fancied  they  had  hit 
upon  a  proper  period  to  withdraw  and  prove  it.  Though  es 
sentially  aristocratieal  in  all  their  sentiments  and  institutions, 
they  had  maintained  an  alliance  with  the  Democratic  party, 
because  they  had  certain  commercial  principles  in  common, 
but  they  promptly  sacrificed  that  party  as  soon  as  their  mista 
ken  pride  had  culminated,  and  left  it  captive  in  the  hands  of 
the  Republicans.  It  was  some  time  before  the  Democracy 
could  understand  the  philosophy  of  this  action  by  its  aristo 
cratic  ally  ;  but  the  depth  of  the  desertion  broke  upon  it  in 
the  acknowledgments  of  such  men  as  Yancey,  Keitt  and  Ehett, 
while  the  recently- developed  predictions  of  statesmen  like 
Calhoun,  enabled  it  to  realize  the  uses  to  which  it  had  been 
put.  The  result  is  that  the  indignant  Democratic  party  now 
stands  foremost  in  this  war,  and  seeks  a  fresh  ascendancy  by 
new  devotion  to  the  nation.  It  will  not  be  hasty  to  form  new 


88  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

alliances  with  a  party  which  acknowledges  that  all  its  tenden 
cies  are  aristocratical,  and  whose  main  maxim,  as  uttered  by 
one  of  its  leading  statesmen,  is,  that  '  all  labor  is  dangerous.'  " 

This  statement  of  the  case  is  so  eminently  just  that  we  are 
impelled  to  give  it  place. 

The  first  essay  of  the  leaders  was  to  rob  and  steal  from  the 
Government  all  that  it  was  possible  to  appropriate.  In  Mr. 
Buchanan's  cabinet  one  of  the  conspirators  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  Treasury  Department.  He  took  the  keys  to  find 
a  treasury  so  over  full  as  to  render  it  burdensome ;  he  left  it 
utterly  depleted  and  the  country's  credit  almost  ruined  "  on 
change."  His  part  of  the  enterprise  appears  to  have  been  so 
far  to  bankrupt  the  Government  finances  as '  to  render  the  in 
coming  Administration  powerless  to  punish  treason  or  to  stay 
the  revolution.  Another  conspirator  was  Secretary  of  War. 
His  office  in  the  enterprise  was  to  fill  all  the  arsenals  in  the 
South  with  arms  and  munitions,  to  stock  all  the  foils  with 
ordnance  and  supplies,  and  to  send  away  all  their  garrisons 
and  guards.  How  well  he  performed  his  part  is  apparent  in 
the  sobriquet  by  which  he  is  now  known — "  Floyd,  the  Prince 
of  thieves." 

"When  the  moment  came  to  "  spring  the  trap,"  these  wor 
thies  withdrew  from  their  dishonored  places  to  receive  the 
acclaims  of  their  fellow-conspirators.  A  general  "seizure" 
followed  of  everything  which  a  confiding  Government  had 
permitted  to  remain  in  the  rebellious  sections — arms,  muni 
tions,  money,  military  property,  buildings,  &c.  These  "  seiz 
ures"  honorable  men  termed  thefts  or  highway  robberies  :  the 
Secessionists  called  them  "  captures"  or  "  appropriations." 
The  moral  turpitude  of  the  acts  only  indicated  the  baseness  of 
"  the  cause,"  and  the  baseness  of  the  cause  only  reflected  the 
degeneracy  of  the  people  who  approved  of  the  secession 
revolution. 

A  general  repudiation  of  debts  due  to  Northern  creditors 
followed.  The  North,  with  astonishing  liberality,  had  trusted 
the  South  for  goods,  for  machinery,  for  provisions — had  built 
Southern  railways  and  canals — had  stocked  their  marts  with 


OF     THE     WAR.  89 

capital  ready  for  any  want  of  the  planter  or  real  estate  opera 
tor.  As  a  consequence  the  South  became  an  enormous  debtor 
— owing  over  sixty  millions  of  dollars  to  New  York  city  alone, 
which  came  due  in  the  year  1861.  To  repudiate  was  an  easy 
way,  with  dishonorable  men,  to  discharge  an  honorable  obli 
gation  ;  and  that  Legislatures  forbade  the  collection  of  debts 
due  to  the  North  through  the  State  Courts,  was  only  another 
crime  to  add  to  the  category  of  sins  which  are  now  scheduled 
under  the  name  of  secession. 

It  was  so  natural  to  abuse  those  whom  they  had  injured, 
that  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  the  Cotton  States,  in  1861, 
fairly  slippery  with  falsehood  and  misrepresentation.  With  a 
few  honorable  exceptions — exceptions  which  stand  like  green 
spots  out  of  that  Dismal  Swamp  of  demoralization — the  press 
adopted  a  system  of  paragraphing,  whose  first  and  last  prin 
ciple  was  to  misinform  their  readers — to  overrate  their  own 
importance  and  strength  and  to  underrate  that  of  "  their  ene 
my" — to  deceive  and  betray.  A  first  impulse  of  men  base 
enough  to  act  the  part  performed  by  the  Secessionists  would 
be  to  contemn,  and  affect  to  despise,  those  whose  favors  they 
had  fattened  upon.  Such  paragraphs  as  that  quoted  on  page 
40  followed  fast  in  the  van  of  events,  as  if  to  pilot  the  South 
in  the  way  it  should  not  go.  A  few  more  extracts  will  suffice 
to  convince  the  most  incredulous,  of  the  base  part  played  by 
the  press  in  exciting  the  baser  passions  of  Southern  human 
nature. 

A  gentleman  of  Richmond,  Va.,  was  in  New  York.  The  scenes  winch 
he  witnessed  in  the  streets  reminded  him  of  the  descriptions  of  the 
Reign  of  Terror  in  Paris.  Nothing  was  wanting  but  the  bloody  guillo 
tine  to  make  the  two  pictures  identical.  The  violent  and  diabolical 
temper  everywhere  conspicuous,  showing  but  too  clearly  whither  all 
things  are  tending  in  the  commercial  metropolis.  A  spirit  is  evoked 
which  can  only  be  laid  in  blood.  The  desperadoes  of  that  great  city 
are  now  in  the  ascendant. — Richmond  Whig. 

The  tremendous  outburst  of  ferocity  that  we  witness  in  the  Northern 
States,  is  simply  the  repetition  of  one  of  the  most  common  traits  of 
their  national  character.  It  is  the  fashion  of  the  day,  the  humbug  of 
the  hour,  arid  it  will  cease  as  suddenly  as  it  has  commenced.  Like 
straw  on  fire,  the  periodical  sensations  of  the  North  make  a  great  flame, 
n2  12 


90  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

but  to  sink  to  the  ashes  and  the  dust  of  indifference  as  swiftly  as  they 
sprang. — Richmond  Examiner. 

When  the  Commonwealth  of  Rome  was  subverted,  the  people  were 
compelled  to  worship  the  image  of  the  despots  whom  the  brute  force 
of  the  mercenary  soldiery  had  elevated  to  brief  authority.  So  it  seems 
the  Black  Republican  mobs  of  the  Northern  cities  compel  the  people  to 
worship  striped  rags  as  evidence  of  their  obeisance  to  the  Abolition 
despots  who  now  desecrate  the  seats  of  power  in  the  Federal  city.— 
Charleston  News. 

The  Richmond  Whig  says  that  the  last  reliable  intelligence  represents 
that  Old  Abe  had  been  beastly  intoxicated  for  the  previous  thirty-six 
consecutive  hours,  and  that  eighty  Border  Ruffians,  from  Kansas,  under 
the  command  of  Lane,  occupied  the  East  Room  to  guard  His  Majesty's 
slumbers.  It  is  broadly  hinted  in  a  Washington  paper,  that  his  guard 
exerts  a  despotic  control  over  the  Presidential  inmate — that  all  his  de 
crees  are  of  its  inspiration.  The  paper  (The  States  and  Union)  then 
proceeds  to  shed  a  becoming  quantity  of  tears  over  this  "  sad  subject 
for  contemplation." — JV.  0.  Sunday  Delta. 

General  Scott,  it  seems,  has  taken  position  against  his  native  State. 
It  is  a  sight  to  see  the  drivelling  old  fop,  with  his  skinny  hands  and 
bony  fingers,  undo,  at  one  dash,  the  labors  of  a  long  and  active  life. 
With  the  red-hot  pencil  of  infamy,  he  has  wTitten  upon  his  wrinkled 
brow  the  terrible,  damning  word,  "  Traitor."— AUngdon  (Va.)  Democrat. 

It  was,  no  doubt,  the  profound  policy  of  Lincoln  and  his  faction  to 
throw  the  operatives  of  the  North  out  of  employ,  to  secure  the  recruits 
for  the  army  of  coercion.  Starvation  produces  a  certain  sort  of  valor, 
and  a  hungry  belly  may  stimulate  patriotism  to  a  kind  of  courage  which, 
on  a  good  feed,  will  risk  the- encounter  with  a  bullet.  It  appears  that 
the  Lincoln  recruits  from  Massachusetts,  at  Baltimore,  were  in  large 
proportion  cobblers.  The  revolution  seems  to  have  affected  their  craft 
more  than  any  other,  according  to  some  of  the  accounts  ;  their  vocation 
gave  them  admirable  facilities  in  the  fight,  especially  in  running;  they 
used  their  footing  expeditiously,  and  took  a  free  flight  with  their  soles 
(souls)— not  one  of  them  apparently  being  anxious,  under  the  fire  of 
Baltimore  brickbats,  to  see  his  last. —  Charleston  Mercury. 

Massachusetts,  the  telegraph  so  reports,  is  all  alive  with  the  war 
spirit.  Those  who  know  these  Puritan  fanatics  will  never  believe  that 
they  intend  to  take  the  field  against  Southern  men.  They  may  muster 
into  service  to  garrison  posts  comparatively  free  from  attack,  and  when 
they  can  be  sheltered  within  impregnable  walls,  but  the  hereafter  will 
have  little  to  tell  of  their  deeds  in  the  tented  field,  or  the  "  imminent 
deadly  breach." — New  Orleans  Bulletin. 


VIII. 


THE  FIRST  AND  THE  SECOND  TKAGEDY. 

THE  movement  forward,  early  in  the  morning  of  May  24th, 
1861,  of  the  Union  army,  was  the  first  definite  step  toward 
meeting  the  enemy.  General  Scott's  plans  were  only  known  to 
the  President  and  Cabinet,  whose  confidence  he  had,  in  an 
eminent  degree.  A  journal  well  versed  in  matters,  said,  (May 
15th) :  "  General  Scott  is  about  to  remodel  the  United  States 
army  upon  the  French  system,  so  as  to  give  it  more  efficiency 
and  perfection.  The  old  hero  works  with  astonishing  zeal, 
and  his  mind  operates  as  actively  as  many  a  man  at  fifty-five. 
It  is  undoubted  that  he  contemplates  a  long  campaign,  that 
Washington  is  to  be  the  base  of  operations,  that  a  large  force 
will  be  kept  permanently  stationed  here,  and  that  all  demon 
strations  in  support  of  the  loyal  men  in  the  South,  and  in 
furtherance  of  the  determination  to  retake  stolen  property,  will 
move  from  this  point.  Some  complaints  are  made  because  an 
expedition  has  not  already  been  sent  into  Virginia,  for  the 
purpose  of  capturing  Eichmond ;  but  I  am  disposed  to  repose 
my  trust  entirely  upon  the  experience  and  patriotism  of 
General  Scott  He  is  heartily  sustained  by  the  President  and 
Messrs.  Chase,  Cameron,  Seward,  and  the  rest  of  the  Cabinet, 
although  it  is  not  doubted  that  Postmaster-General  Judge  Blair 
favors  a  more  extreme  and  aggressive  policy." 

The  gathering  of  troops  at  the  Capital  argued  something 
more  than  its  defense.  With  approaches  all  open  and  com 
manding  positions  unoccupied  by  Federal  forces,  the  mere  re 
tention  of  the  city  would  have  been  to  insure  its  destruction 


92  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

for  the  enemy's  artillery  on  Arlington  Heights  would  have  laid 
the  Capital  itself  in  ruins.  The  safety  of  the-  city  depended 
on  an  advance.  But,  more  than  the  protective  policy  it  was 
evident  was  required.  The  fact  became  daily  clearer  that,  if 
the  Union  was  sustained  it  must  be  done  vi  et  armis  ;  if  rebel 
lion  would  be  crushed  and  treason  punished,  it  would  be  done 
only  by  a  campaign  in  the  heart  of  the  rebellious  region  ;  if 
the  Southern  madmen  were  stayed  in  their  designs,  it  would 
be  necessary  to  meet  them,  on  land  and  sea,  with  the  fullest 
terrors  of  the  outraged  Government  No  one  comprehended 
this  more  fully  than  the  President  and  the  venerable  General- 
in-Chief;  and  we  find  their  plans  well  developed,  by  May  20th, 
for  an  active  prosecution  of  the  war. 

It  became  evident  at  Washington,  on  the  23d  of  May,  that 
some  important  movement  was  contemplated — that,  in  fact, 
Virginia  was  to  be  "invaded."  The  note  of  preparation  was 
sounded  throughout  the  camps  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day, 
though  the  officers  were  ignorant  of  the  extent  of  the  service 
to  be  performed.  At  midnight,  the  District  Militia,  six  com 
panies,  moved  forward  as  scouts  and  pickets,  over  the  Long 
Bridge.  They  were  first  on  the  "  sacred  soil."  The  New  York 
Seventh  was  detailed  as  the  reserve,  and,  forming  line  near  the 
bridge,  saw  the  whole  forces,  under  General  Mansfield,  pass 
over,  before  it  brought  up  the  rear.  The  New  York  Twelfth 
and  Twenty-fifth,  the  First  Michigan,  and  the  First,  Second, 
Third  and  Fourth  New  Jersey,  passed  over  Long  Bridge  be 
tween  two  and  four  o'clock  A.  M. — the  Seventh  crossing  at  day 
break  Above,  at  the  Chain  Bridge,  McDowell's  forces  passed 
over,  at  the  same  time,  comprised  of  the  New  York  Sixty- 
ninth  and  Twenty-eighth,  with  Drummond's  cavalry  and  a 
battery.  This  detachment  took  possession  of  Arlington 
Heights,  and  immediately  commenced  the  work  of  constructing 
defences.  The  New  York  Fire  Zouaves  (Colonel  Ellsworth) 
moved  down  by  transports  to  Alexandria,  landing,  at  five 
o'clock,  under  the  guns  of  the  Pawnee.  The  First  Michigan, 
(Colonel  Wilcox)  moved  down  from  the  Long  Bridge  to  co 
operate  with  the  Zouaves  in  the  occupancy  of  Alexandria 


OFTHEWAK.  93 

Tlie  New  York  Twelfth,  took  position  about  Half-way  between 
the  two  points.  The  Twenty-fifth  advanced  toward  Falls 
Church.  The  Seventh,  held  Long  Bridge.  The  morning  of 
the  24th  found  Virginia  in  possession  of  the  "hireling  mob," 
who  had  thus  made  their  first  step  toward  the  work  of 
"  coercion." 

No  enemy  opposed  the  invasion — contrary  to  all  expecta 
tion.  General  Scott,  in  person,  was  at  the  bridge  to  be  pre 
pared  for  any  emergency  which  might  arise,  but  was  not  called 
to  the  field.  Generals  Mansfield  and  McDowell  only  found 
pickets  far  in  advance  of  their  lines  in  the  morning. 

This  step  excited  the  country  greatly,  for  the  moment.  The 
Confederates  fairly  shrieked  in  their  imprecations ;  and  their 
vows  of  a  summary  revenge  were  neither  few  nor  made  in  the 
most  civilized  spirit  of  modern  wrfare.  We  quote  from  the 
%/nquirer  of  Richmond,  as  a  specimen  of  the  rhetoric  excited 
by  the  Federal  act : 

"  We'  congratulate  the  people  of  Virginia  that  the  last  flimsy 
pretext  of  the  Eump  Government  at  Washington,  of  regard 
for  constitutional  laws,  has  been  thrown  aside.  The  sovereign 
State  of  Virginia  has  been  invaded  by  the  Federal  hirelings, 
without  authority  of  Congress,  which  alone  has  the  war-making 
power.  Heretofore,  the  pretense  .that  it  was  the  duty  of  the 
Federal  Government  to  repossess  itself  of  the  forts  and  arsenals 
in  the  Seceded  States,  has  been  put  forward  to  justify  the  ag 
gressive  movements  of  Federal  troops.  But  in  the  present 
case  there  is  no  such  pretense ;  no  forts,  or  arsenals,  or  other 
Federal  property  have  been  seized  at  Alexandria.  The 
'  bloody  and  brutal'  purposes  of  the  Abolitionists,  to  subju 
gate  and  exterminate  the  Southern  people,  stands  confessed  by 
this  flagrant  outrage  upon  Virginia  soil. 

"  Virginians,  arise  in  your  strength  and  welcome  the  invader 
with  '  bloody  hands  to  hospitable  graves.'  The  sacred  soil 
of  Virginia,  in  which  repose  the  ashes  of  so  many  of  the  illus 
trious  patriots  who  gave  independence  to  their  country,  has 
been  desecrated  by  the  hostile  tread  of  an  armed  enemy,  who 
proclaims  his  malignant  hatred  of  Virginia  because  she  will 


94  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

not  bow  her  proud  neck  to  the  humiliating  yoke  of  Yankee 
rule.  Meet  the  invader  at  the  threshold.  Welcome  him  with 
bayonet  and  bullet  Swear  eternal  hatred  of  a  treacherous 
foe,  whose  only  hope  of  safety  is  in  your  defeat  and  subjection." 

But  the  occupation  was  not  bloodless.  Our  country  lost 
one  of  its  most  promising  officers.  Colonel  Elmer  Ellsworth, 
of  the  New  York  Fire  Zouaves,  fell  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin 
while  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  at  Alexandria, 

Colonel  Ellsworth  was,  in  many  respects,  a  remarkable  per 
son.  His  regiment  of  Zouaves  were  remarkable  men.  Both 
officers  and  men  had  been  counted  upon  for  extraordinary  ser 
vice  from  the  known  ability  of  the  commander  and  the  known 
courage  and  endurance  of  the  entire  regiment  A  New  York 
city  journal  said  of  him  : 

"  It  is  about  a  month  since  a  young  man  of  soldierly  bear 
ing,  of  an  unusually  fine  physique,  of  frank  and  attractive 
manners,  and  of  great  intelligence,  called  on  us  on  the  day  of 
his  arrival  from  Washington,  to  state  his  wishes  and  purposes, 
in  relation  to  raising  a  regiment  among  the  New  York  firemen. 
A  fortnight  later  we  saw  him  on  his  way  to  embark  for  Wash 
ington  at  the  head  of  his  men,  and  escorted  by  the  most  im 
posing  procession  this  city  has  ever  witnessed.  This  man  was 
Colonel  Ellsworth  of  the  Firemen  Zouaves.  *  I  want,'  he  said, 
'the  New  York  firemen,  for  there  are  no  more  effective  men 
in  the  country,  and  none  with  whom  I  can  do  so  much.  They 
are  sleeping  on  a  volcano  at  Washington,' he  added,  'and  I 
want  men  who  can  go  into  a  fight  now.''  The  impression  he 
made  upon  us  was  that  of  a  fearless,  gallant  and  energetic  man, 
one  of  those  possessed  of  the  qualities  that  distinguish  those 
who  have  them  as  soldiers,  and  of  powers  that  especially  fit 
them  to  be  leaders  among  men.  In  him  we  think  the  country 
has  lost  a  very  valuable  lifa" 

The  Zouaves  gathered  at  his  call  with  alacrity ;  two  regi 
ments  could  have  been  made  up  immediately  from  the  firemen 
of  New  York  city,  had  they  been  wanted.  A  short  time  suf 
ficed  to  place  the  commander  at  the  head  of  his  men.  In 
twenty  days  from  the  date  of  his  first  appearance  in  New  York 


OF     THE     WAR.  95 

he  was  in  Washington  (May  2d)  with  one  thousand  of  as  brave 
and  reckless  men  as  ever  walked  the  field.  They  only  required 
to  be  ruled  with  a  firm  hand  and  led  by  a  fearless  heart  to 
perform  great  service.  In  Ellsworth  they  at  once  had  a  leader 
whom  they  idolized  and  a  ruler  whom  they  obeyed  with  alac 
rity,  for  out  of  their  wild  natures  he  promised  to  coin  heroes 
whom  the  country  would  love  to  honor. 

The  regiment  was  chosen  for  the  first  forward  movement  in 
expectation  of  hard  work.  Theirs  were  spirits  too  eager  for 
action,  too  accustomed  to  excitement,  to  bear  the  dead  life  of  a 
camp.  "  Onward  to  Eichmond !"  became  their  cry.  The 
troops  broke  up  camp  at  two  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  passed  down 
to  Alexandria  by  transports.  So  utterly  unexpected  had  the 
movements  been  conducted,  that  the  Virginia  people  were 
completely  taken  by  surprise,  and  no  opposition  was  offered 
at  any  point.  Had  the  design  of  General  Scott  been  betrayed, 
it  is  probable  the  rebels  would  have  stubbornly  opposed  the 
descent  and  occupation.  The  Zouaves  landed  at  Alexandria 
unopposed.  The  tragedy  of  Ellsworth's  death  soon  followed. 
One  who  was  present  and  witnessed  the  assassination,  thus 
detailed  its  circumstances  : 

"  The  Colonel  gave  some  rapid  directions  for  the  interrup 
tion  of  the  railway  course,  by  displacing  a  few  rails  near  the 
depot,  and  then  turned  toward  the  centre  of  the  town,  to  de 
stroy  the  means  of  communication  southward  by  the  telegraph  ; 
a  measure  which  he  appeared  to  regard  as  very  seriously  im 
portant  He  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  H.  J.  Winser,  Military 
Secretary  to  the  regiment ;  the  Chaplain,  the  Eev.  E.  W. 
Dodge  ;  and  myself.  At  first  he  summoned  no  guard  to  fol 
low  him,  but  afterwards  turned  and  called  forward  a  single 
squad,  with  a  sergeant  from  the  first  company.  We  passed 
quickly  through  the  streets,  meeting  a  few  bewildered  travel 
lers  issuing  from  the  principal  hotel,  which  seemed  to  be  slow 
ly  coming  to  its  daily  senses,  and  were  about  to  turn  toward 
the  telegraph  office,  when  the  Colonel,  first  of  all,  caught  sight 
of  the  secession  flag,  which  has  so  long  swung  insolently  in 
full  view  of  the  President's  House.  He  immediately  sent 


96  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

back  the  sergeant,  with  an  order  for  the  advance  of  the  entire 
first  company,  and,  leaving  the  matter  of  tjae  telegraph  office 
for  a  while,  pushed  on  to  the  hotel,  which  proved  to  be  the 
4  Marshall  House,'  a  second-class  inn.  On  entering  the  open 
door  the  Colonel  met  a  man  in  his  shirt  and  trowsers,  of  whom 
he  demanded  what  sort  of  flag  it  was  that  hung  above  the 
roof.  The  stranger,  who  seemed  greatly  alarmed,  declared  he 
knew  nothing  of  it,  that  he  was  only  a  boarder  there.  With 
out  questioning  him  further  the  Colonel  sprang  up  stairs,  and 
we  all  followed  to  the  topmost  story,  whence,  by  means  of  a 
ladder,  he  clambered  to  the  roof,  cut  down  the  flag  with  Win- 
ser's  knife,  and  brought  it  from  its  staff.  We  at  once  turned 
to  descend,  private  Brownell  leading  the  way,  and  Colonel 
Ellsworth  immediately  following  him  with  the  flag.  As  Brow 
nell  reached  the  first  landing-place,,  or  entry,  after  a  descent  of 
a  dozen  steps,  a  man  jumped  from  a  dark  passage,  and  hardly 
noticing  the  private,  levelled  a  double-barrelled  gun  square  at 
the  Colonel's  breast.  Brownell  made  a  quick  pass  to  turn  the 
weapon  aside,  but  the  fellow's  hand  was  firm,  and  he  discharg 
ed  one  barrel  straight  to  its  aim,  the  slugs  or  buckshot  with 
which  it  was  loaded  entering  the  Colonel's  heart,  and  killing 
him  at  the  instant.  He  was  on  the  second  or  third  step  from 
the  landing,  and  dropped  forward  with  that  heavy,  horrible, 
headlong  weight  which  always  comes  of  sudden  death  inflicted 
in  this  manner.  His  assailant  turned  like  a  flash  to  give  the 
contents  of  the  other  barrel  to  Brownell,  but  either  he  could 
not  command  his  aim  or  the  Zouave  was  'too  quick  with  him, 
for  the  slugs  went  over  his 'head,  and  passed  through  the  pan 
els  and  wainscot  of  a  door.  Simultaneously  with  this  second' 
shot,  and  sounding  like  the  echo  of  the  first,  Brownell's  rifle 
was  heard  and  the  assassin  staggered  backward.  He  was  hit 
exactly  in  the  middle  of  the  face,  and  the  wound,  as  I  after 
ward  saw  it,  was  the  most  frightful  I  ever  witnessed.  Brow 
nell  did  not  know  how  fatal  his  shot  had  been,  and  so  before 
the  man  dropped,  he  thrust  his  sabre  bayonet  through  and 
through  the  body,  the  force  of  the  blow  sending  the  dead  man 
violently  down  the  upper  section  of  the  second  flight  of  stairs, 


OF    THE    WAR.  97 

at  the  foot  of  which  he  lay  with  his  face  to  the  floor.  Winser 
ran  from  above  crying,  '  Who  is  hit  ?'  but  as  he  glanced  down 
ward  by  our  feet,  he  needed  no  answer. 

"  Bewildered  for  an  instant  by  the  suddenness  of  this  attack, 
and  not  knowing  what  more  might  be  in  store,  we  forbore  to 
proceed,  and  gathered  together  defensively.  There  were  but 
seven  of  us  altogether,  and  one  was  without  a  weapon  of  any 
kind.  Brownell  instantly  reloaded,  and  while  doing  so  per 
ceived  the  door  through  which  the  assailant's  shot  had  passed, 
beginning  to  open.  He  brought  his  rifle  to  the  shoulder,  and 
menaced  the  occupants,  two  travellers,  with  immediate  death 
if  they  stirred.  The  three  other  privates  guarded  the  passa 
ges,  of  which  there  were  quite  a  number  converging  to  the 
point  where  we  stood,  while  the  Chaplain  and  Winser  looked 
to  the  staircase  by  which  we  had  descended,  and  the  adjoining 
chambers.  I  ran  down  stairs  to  see  if  any  thing  was  threaten 
ed  from  the  story  below,  but  it  soon  appeared  there  was  no 
danger  from  that  quarter.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to 
look  to  our  dead  friend  and  leader.  He  had  fallen  on  his  face, 
and  the  streams  of  blood  that  flowed  from  his  wound  had  lite 
rally  flooded  the  way.  The  Chaplain  turned  him  gently  over, 
and  I  stooped  and  called  his  name  aloud,  at  which  I  thought 
then  he  murmured  inarticulately.  I  presume  I  was  mistaken, 
and  I  am  not  sure  that  he  spoke  a  word  after  being  struck. 
Winser  and  I  lifted  the  body  with  all  care  and  laid  it  upon  a 
bed  in  a  room  near  by.  The  rebel  flag,  stained  with  his 
blood,  we  laid  about  .his  feet.  Before  the  first  company,  or 
dered  up  by  the  Colonel,  as  before  stated,  arrived,  we  had  re 
moved  some  of  the  unsightly  stains  from  the  Colonel's  features, 
and  composed  his  lirnbs.  His  expression  in  death  was  beau 
tifully  natural.  The  Colonel  was  a  singularly  handsome  man, 
and,  excepting  the  pallor,  there  was  nothing  different  in  his 
countenance  now  from  what  all  his  friends  had  so  lately  been 
accustomed  to  gladly  recognize.  The  detachment  was  heard 
approaching  at  last,  a  reenforcement  was  easily  called  up,  and 
the  surgeon  was  sent  for.  His  arrival,  not  long  after,  of  course 
sealed  our  own  unhappy  belief  A  terrible  scene  was  enacting 
I  13 


98  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

on  the  floor  below.  A  woman  had  run  from  a  lower  room  to 
the  stairway  where  the  body  of  the  defender  of  the  secession 
flag  lay,  and  recognizing  it,  cried  aloud  with  an  agony  so 
heart-rending  that  n<^  person  could  witness  it  without  emotion. 
She  flung  her  arms  in  the  air,  struck  her  brow  madly,  and 
seemed  in  every  way  utterly  abandoned  to  desolation  and 
frenzy.  She  offered  no  reproaches — appeared  indeed  almost 
regardless  of  our  presence,  and  yielded  only  to  her  own  frantic 
despair.  It  was  her  husband  that  had  been  shot.  He  was 
the  proprietor  of  the  hotel.  His  name  was  James  T.  Jackson. 
Winser  was  confident  it  was  the  same  man  who  met  us  at  the 
door  when  we  entered,  and  told  us  he  was  a  boarder.  His 
wife,  as  I  said,  was  wild  almost  to  insanity.  Yet  she  listened 
when  spoken  to,  although  no  consolation  could  be  offered  her. 

"It  is  not  from  any  wish  to  fasten  obloquy  upon  the  slayer 
of  Colonel  Ellsworth,  but  simply  because  it  struck  me  as  a 
frightful  fact,  that  I  say  the  face  of  the  dead  man  wore  the 
most  revolting  expression  of  rage  and  hatred  that  I  ever  saw. 
Perhaps  the  nature  of  his  wound  added  to  this  effect,  and  the 
wound  was  something  so  appalling  that  I  shall  not  attempt  to 
describe  it,  as  it  impressed  me.  It  is  probable  that  such  a 
result  from  a  bullet- wound  could  not  ensue  once  in  a  thousand 
times.  Either  of  Brownell's  onslaughts  would  have  been  in 
stantaneously  fatal.  The  saber- wound  was  not  less  effective 
than  that  of  the  ball.  The  gun  which  Jackson  had  fired  lay 
beneath  him,  clasped  in  his  arms,  and  as  we  did  not  at  first  all 
know  that  both  barrels  had  been  discharged,  it  was  thought 
necessary  to  remove  it,  lest  it  should  be  suddenly  seized  and 
made  use  of  from  below.  In  doing  this,  his  countenance  was 
revealed. 

"  As  the  morning  advanced,  the  townspeople  began  to  gather 
in  the  vicinity,  and  a  guard  was  fixed,  preventing  ingress  and 
egress.  This  was  done  to  keep  all  parties  from  knowing  what 
had  occurred,  for  the  Zouaves  were  so  devoted  to  their  Colonel 
that  it  was  feared  if  they  all  were  made  acquainted  with  the 
real  fact,  they  would  sack  the  house.  On  the  other  hand,  it 
was  not  thought  wise  to  let  the  Alexandrians  know  thus  early 


i 


OF     THE     WAR.  99 

the  fate  of  their  townsman.  The  Zouaves  were  the  only  regi 
ment  that  had  arrived,  and  their  head  and  soul  was  gone.  Be 
sides,  the  duties  which  the  Colonel  had  hurriedly  assigned  be 
fore  leaving  them  had  scattered  some  companies  in  various 
quarters  of  the  town.  Several  persons  sought  admission  to 
the  Marshall  House,  among  them  a  sister  of  the  dead  man, 
who  had  heard  the  rumor,  but  who  was  not  allowed  to  know 
the  true  state  of  the  case.  It  was  painful  to  hear  her  remark, 
as  she  went  away,  that  '  of  course  they  wouldn't  shoot  a  man 
dead  in  his  own  house  about  a  bit  of  old  bunting.'  Many  of 
the  lodgers  were  anxious  to  go  forth,  but  they  were  detained 
until  after  I  had  left  All  sorts  of  arguments  and  persuasions 
were  employed,  but  the  Zouave  guards  were  inexorable. 

"  At  about  seven  o'clock,  a  mounted  officer  rode  up,  and  in 
formed  us  that  the  Michigan  First  had  arrived,  and  had  cap 
tured  a  troop  of  rebels,  who  had  at  first  demanded  time  for  re 
flection,  but  who  afterward  concluded  to  yield  at  discretion. 
Not  long  after  this,  the  surgeon  made  arrangements  for  the 
conveyance  of  Colonel  Ellsworth's  body  to  Washington.  It 
was  properly  veiled  from  sight,  and,  with  great  tenderness, 
taken  by  a  detachment  of  the  Zouaves  arid  the  Seventy-first 
New  York  regiment  (a  small  number  of  whom,  I  neglected  to 
state,  embarked  in  the  morning  at  the  Navy -yard,  and  came 
down  with  us)  to  the  steamboat,  by  which  it  was  brought  to 
the  Navy -yard  and  given  over  to  the  tender  care  of  Captain 
Dahlgren." 

The  excitement  which  followed  this  assassination  was  great 
The  Secessionists  of  course  gloated  over  it.  The  press  of  the 
South  was  jubilant,  and  the  ruffian  who  did  the  act  was  placed 
in  their  Pantheon  of  heroes.  The  press  of  the  North  mourned 
the  death  of  one  so  chivalrous,  so  young,  so  early  lost  to  his 
country.  The  President  was  shocked  at  the  calamity,  for  his 
personal  attachment  to  Ellsworth  was  sincere.  A  gentleman 
who  happened  to  call  at  the  White  House  to  see  the  President, 
on  the  morning  of  the  sad  day,  thus  narrated  the  incident : 

"  I  called  at  the  White  House  with  Senator  Wilson  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  to  see  the  President  on  a  pressing  matter  of  business, 


100  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

and  as  we  entered  we  remarked  the  President  standing  before 
a  window,  looking  out  across  the  Potomad  He  did  not  move 
till  we  approached  very  closely,  when  he  turned  round  abrupt 
ly  and  advanced  towards  us,  extending  his  hand.  '  Excuse 
me,'  he  said,  '  but  I  cannot  talk.'  The  President  burst  into 
tears,  and  concealed  his  face  in  his  handkerchief.  He  walked 
up  and  down  the  room  for  some  moments,  and  we  stepped 
aside  in  silence,  not  a  little  moved  at  such  an  unusual  spec 
tacle,  in  such  a  man,  in  such  a  place.  After  composing  him 
self  somewhat,  the  President  took  his  seat  and  desired  us  to 
approach.  '  I  will  make  no  apology,  gentlemen,'  said  the  Presi 
dent,  '  for  my  weakness  ;  but  I  knew  poor  Ellsworth  well,  and 
held  him  in  great  regard.  Just  as  you  entered  the  room,  Cap 
tain  Fox  left  me,  after  giving  me  the  painful  details  of  Ells 
worth's  unfortunate  death.  The  event  was  so  unexpected, 
and  the  recital  so  touching,  that  it  quite  unmanned  me.' 

"The  President  here  made  a  violent  effort  to  restrain  his 
emotions,  and  after  a  pause  he  proceeded,  with  a  tremulous 
voice,  to  give  us  the  incidents  of  the  tragedy  that  had  occurred. 
*  Poor  fellow,'  repeated  the  President,  as  he  closed  his  relation, 
'  it  was  undoubtedly  an  act  of  rashness,  but  it  only  shows  the 
heroic  spirit  that  animates  our  soldiers,  from  high  to  low,  in 
this  righteous  cause  of  ours.  Yet  who  can  restrain  their  grief 
to  see  them  fall  in  such  a  way  as  this,  not  by  the  fortunes  of 
war,  but  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin  ? '  Towards  the  close  of 
his  remarks,  he  added :  '  There  is  one  fact  which  has  reached 
me,  which  is  a  great  consolation  to  my  heart,  and  quite  a  relief 
after  this  melancholy  affair.  I  learn  from  several  persons,  that 
when  the  Stars  and  Stnpes  were  raised  again  in  Alexandria, 
many  of  the  people  of  the  town  actually  wept  for  joy,  and 
manifested  the  liveliest  gratification  at  seeing  this  familiar  and 
loved  emblem  once  more  floating  above  them.  This  is  another 
proof  that  all  the  South  is  not  Secessionist ;  and  it  is  my  ear 
nest  hope  that  as  we  advance  we  shall  find  as  many  friends  as 
foes.'" 

The  remains  were  removed  to  the  White  House  on  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  under  escort  of  the  New  York  Seventy- 


OF     THE     WAR.  101 

first,  as  a  guard  of  honor,  accompanied  by  a  detachment  of 
Zouaves,  including  Brownell,  the  slayer  of  the  assassin.  From 
the  White  House,  where  it  lay  in  state,  until  three  o'clock,  p.  M., 
the  body  was  taken  to  the  house  of  his  parents,  at  Mechanics- 
ville,  New  York,  for  burial.  Yast  and  imposing  demonstra 
tions  were  made  over  the  remains  in  New  York  and  Albany ; 
and  at  Mechanicsville  he  was  buried  amid  the  tears  of  a  large 
concourse  of  people  and  in  the  presence  of  the  local  military 
and  the  guard  of  honor. 

This  act  of  assassination  was  in  perfect  keeping  with  the 
spirit  of  Secession.  A  community  where  the  use  of  pistol  and 
knife  were  almost  every  day  occurrences — where  all  indignities 
were  wiped  out  in  blood,  was  not  likely  to  foster  a  feeling  of 
loyalty  to  a  Government,  where  just  men  aimed  to  suppress 
all  violations  of  the  peace.  Jackson  was  a  violent  Secessionist 
He  flouted  his  odious  flag  from  his  house  as  expressive  of  de 
fiance  ;  and,  though  Southern  gentlemen  did  not  make  him 
their  equal  as  an  associate,  they  did  not  disdain  to  applaud  his 
act  and  to  accord  him  the  place  of  a  martyr  in  the  cause  of  the 
South. 


ELLSWORTH. 

THE  death  of  Ellsworth  served  to  arouse  the  inimical  feel 
ings  of  the  North,  even  more  than  could  have  been  anticipated, 
The  fall  of  the  officer  in  battle  would  have  been  mourned  as  a 
calamity,  but  would,  nevertheless,  have  been  ascribed  to  the 
inevitable  necessities  of  war.  His  fall,  by  an  assassin  shot, 
12 


102  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

gave  no  palliation  to  grief,  but  rather  added  to  its  intensity, 
and  did  not  fail  to  reawaken  animosities,  which  had  somewhat 
subsided  since  the  assault  upon  the  Massachusetts  men  in  the 
streets  of  Baltimore.  Flags  were  placed  at  half-mast  in  all 
places ;  men  met  on  the  streets  to  discuss  the  circumstances  of 
the  tragedy ;  committees  and  town  authorities  continued  to 
pass  resolutions  of  respect ;  everywhere  was  enlisted  a  feeling 
at  once  suggestive  of  respect  for  the  memory  of  the  deceased, 
and  of  undying  hostility  to  the  cause  which  the  assassin  repre 
sented  and  typified. 

Ellsworth  was  a  pure  embodiment,  in  his  tastes,  experiences, 
and  character,  of  the  true  American.  It  has  been  said  by  a 
supercilious  foreign  flunky — and  his  words  are  still  repeated 
by  the  race  of  flunkies  generally :  "  What  is  an  American  ? 
Composed  of  English,  Irish,  German,  French,  Spanish,  with  an 
admixture  of  all  other  civilized  nations,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
uncivilized  and  barbarian,  it  is  difficult  to  realise  what  an 
American  is.  Will  some  one  tell  us  ?"  There  is  a  fair  pre 
sumption  that  the  person  who  penned  the  above  might  trace 
his  own  origin  to  the  race  of  asses.  Had  the  question  been — 
"  Tell  us  the  characteristics  which  typify  the  true  American  it 
would  have  been  answered  as  readily  as  the  question  :  "  What 
is  the  characteristic  of  an  Englishman — a  Frenchman — a  Ger 
man — a  Moor — an  Indian." 

In  the  record  of  Ellsworth's  life  we  have  the  life-history  of 
many  thousands  of  American  youth,  who  have  grown  up  un 
der  the  same  peculiar  circumstances — the  same  incentives  to 
exertion — the  same  sole  dependence  on  personal  merit  for  suc 
cess  ;  while  in  his  energy,  quickness  of  intellect,  shrewdness, 
rapidity  of  performance  of  duty,  his  truth  and  manliness,  AVC 
have  the  results  of  his  American  training  and  American  incen 
tives  to  development  From  a  humble  printer  boy  he  became 
a  distinguished  man,  as  thousands  of  humble  apprentice  boys 
have  done  before  him,  and  as  thousands  will  continue  to  do  in 
a  land  where  no  law  of  caste  lives  down  human  energies,  where 
no  discriminations  against  choice  of  occupation  prevails,  where 
the  dignity  of  labor  is  recognized. 


OF     THE     WAR.  103 

Ephraim  Elmer  Ellsworth,  we  are  informed,  was  born  at 
Mechanicsville,  in  New  York  State,  April  23d,  in  the  year 
1335 — being  a  little  less  than  twenty-five  years  of  age  at  the 
moment  of  his  assassination.  His  parents  (still  living)  were 
then  well-to-do  people,  of  the  village ;  but,  owing  to  great  re 
verses,  did  not  command  the  means  necessary  to  educate  their 
son  as  became  his  evident,  and  early  manifested  talents.  His 
education  was  obtained  in  the  schools  of  his  native  place.  The 
taste  for  military  art  and  action  soon  became  a  leading  mental 
inclination;  and  his  reading  of  books  relating  to  war,  cam 
paigns  and  military  service,  soon  embraced  every  volume  with 
in  his  reach. 

His  habits  of  industry  and  thirst  for  a  wider  experience  with 
men  and  books,  led  him  into  a  printing  office.  Having  ac 
quired  a  knowledge  of  type-setting,  he  struck  out  for  New 
York,  to  carve  his  way  "to  fortune  and  to  fame."  His  expe 
riences  in  the  great  Metropolis  were  severe  and  sad,  and  were 
scarcely  less  so  after  a  year's  experience  in  Boston.  In  1857 
he  found  his  way  to  Chicago,  where,  in  company  with  Arthur 
F.  Devereux  (afterwards  the  most  gallant  Captain  of  the  Salem 
Zouaves,  Eighth  Massachusetts  regiment)  he  started  in  business 
— an  agency  for  securing  patents  to  inventors.  All  promised 
fairly  for  the  two  energetic  men,  when  the  rascality  of  an  agent 
hopelessly  shipwrecked  their  little  enterprise.  This  so  dashed 
the  hopes  of  Devereux  that  he  returned  to  Massachusetts,  but 
Ellsworth  remained.  A  biographical  sketch  in  the  Atlantic 
Monthly  for  July,  1861,  said : 

"  The  next  year  of  Ellsworth's  life  was  a  miracle  of  endur 
ance  and  uncomplaining  fortitude.  He  read  law  with  great 
assiduity,  and  supported  himself  by  copying,  in  the  hours  that 
should  have  been  devoted  to  recreation.  He  had  no  pastimes 
and  very  few  friends.  Not  a  soul  besides  himself  and  the 
baker  who  gave  him  his  daily  loaf,  knew  how  he  was  living. 
During  all  that  time  he  never  slept  in  a  bed — never  ate  with 
friends  at  a  social  board.  So  acute  was  his  sense  of  honor,  so 
delicate  his  ideas  of  propriety,  that,  although  the  most  generous 
of  men,  he  never  would  accept  from  acquaintances  the  slightest 


104  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

favors  or  courtesies  which  he  might  be  unable  to  return.  He 
told  me  once  of  a  severe  struggle  between  inclination  and  a 
sense  of  honor.  At  a  period  of  extreme  hunger,  he  met  a  friend 
in  the  street  who  was  just  starting  from  the  city.  He  accom 
panied  his  friend  into  a  restaurant,  wishing  to  converse  with 
him,  but  declined  to  take  any  refreshment.  He  represented 
the  savory  fragrance  of  his  friend's  dinner  as  almost  maddening 
to  his  famished  senses,  while  he  sat  there  pleasantly  chatting, 
deprecating  his  friend's  entreaties  to  join  him  in  the  repast,  on 
the  plea  that  he  had  just  dined" 

The  same  writer,  evidently  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
man,  thus  further  wrote  of  his"  mental,  physical  and  moral 
nature : 

"What  would  have  killed  an  ordinary  man  did  not  injure 
Ellsworth.  His  iron  frame  seemed  incapable  of  dissolution  or 
waste.  Circumstance  had  no  power  to  conquer  his  spirit  His 
hearty  good-humor  never  gave  way.  His  sense  of  honor, 
which  was  sometimes  even  fantastic  in  its  delicacy,  freed  him 
from  the  very  temptation  to  wrong.  He  knew  there  was  a 
better  time  coming  for  him.  Conscious  of  great  •  mental  and 
bodily  strength,  with  that  bright  lookout  that  industry 
and  honor  always  give  a  man,  he  was  perfectly  secure  of  ulti 
mate  success.  His  plans  mingled  in  a  singular  manner  the 
bright  enthusiasm  of  the  youthful  dreamer  and  the  eminent 
practicality  of  the  man  of  affairs.  At  one  time,  his  mind  was 
fixed  on  Mexico — not  with  the  licentious  dreams  that  excited 
the  ragged  Condottieri  who  followed  the  fated  footsteps  of  the 
'  grey-eyed  man  of  Destiny,'  in  the  wild  hope  of  plunder  and 
power — nor  with  the  vague  reverie  in  which  fanatical  theorists 
construct  impossible  Utopias  on  the  absurd  framework  of 
Icarias  or  Phalansteries.  His  clear,  bold,  and  thoroughly  ex 
ecutive  mind  planned  a  magnificent  scheme  of  commercial 
enterprise,  which,  having  its  centre  of  operations  at  Guaymas, 
should  ramify  through  the  golden  waters  that  stretch  in  silence 
and  solitude  along  the  tortuous  banks  of  the  Kio  San  Jose. 
This  was  to  be  the  beginning  and  the  ostensible  end  of  the  en 
terprise.  Then  he  dreamed  of  the  influence  of  American  arts 


OF     THE     WAR.  105 

and  American  energy  penetrating  into  the  twilight  of  that 
decaying  nationality,  and  saw  the  natural  course  of  events 
leading  on,  first,  Emigration,  then  Protection,  and  at  last  An 
nexation.  Yet  there  was  no  thought  of  conquest  or  rapine. 
The  idea  was  essentially  American  and  Northern.  He  never 
wholly  lost  that  dream.  One  day  last  winter,  when  some  one 
was  discussing  the  propriety  of  an  amputation  of  the  States 
that  seemed  thoroughly  diseased,  Ellsworth  swept  his  hand 
energetically  over  the  map  of  Mexico  that  hung  upon  the  wall, 
and  exclaimed — '  There  is  an  unanswerable  argument  against 
the  recognition  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.' 

"  But  the  central  idea  of  Ellsworth's  short  life  was  the  tho 
rough  reorganization  of  the  militia  of  the  United  States.  He 
was  convinced  that  there  was  much  of  well-directed  effort  yet 
lacking  to  its  entire  efficiency.  In  fact,  as  he  expressed  it,  a 
well-disciplined  body  of  five  thousand  troops  could  land  any 
where  on  our  coast  and  ravage  two  or  three  States  before  an 
adequate  force  could  get  into  the  field  to  oppose  them.  To 
reform  this  defective  organization,  he  resolved  to  devote  what 
ever  of  talent  or  energy  was  his.  This  was  a  very  large  under 
taking  for  a  boy,  whose  majority  and  moustache  were  still  of 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for.  But  nothing  that  he  could 
propose  to  himself  ever  seemed  absurd.  He  attacked  his  work 
with  his  usual  promptness  and  decision. 

"  The  conception  of  a  great  idea  is  no  proof  of  a  great  mind  ; 
a  man's  calibre  is  shown  by  the  way  in  which  he  attempts  to 
realize  his  idea,  A  great  design,  planted  in  a  little  mind,  fre 
quently  bursts  it,  and  nothing  is  more  pitiable  than  the  spec 
tacle  of  a  man  staggering  into  insanity  under  a  thought  too 
large  for  him.  Ellsworth  chose  to  begin  his  work  simply  and 
practically.  He  did  not  write  a  memorial  to  the  President,  to 
be  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  be  referred  to  the  Chief 
Clerk,  to  be  handed  over  to  File-Clerk  No.  99,  to  be  glanced 
at,  and  quietly  thrust  into  a  pigeon-hole  labelled  '  Crazy  and 
trashy.'  He  did  not  haunt  the  ante-room  of  Congressman 
Somebody,  who  would  promise  to  bring  his  plan  before  the 
House,  and  then,  bowing  him  out,  give  general  orders  to  his 
14 


106  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

footman,  '  Not  at  home,  hereafter,  to  that  man.'  He  did  not 
float,  as  some  theorists  do,  ghastly  and  seedy,  around  the  Adyta 
of  popular  editors,  begging  for  space  and  countenance.  He 
wisely  determined  to  keep  his  theories  to  himself  until  he 
could  illustrate  them  by  living  examples.  He  first  put  him 
self  in  thorough  training.  He  practised  the  manual  of  arms  in 
his  own  room,  until  his  dexterous  precision  was  something 
akin  to  the  sleight  of  a  juggler.  He  investigated  the  theory 
of  every  movement  in  an  anatomical  view,  and  made  several 
most  valuable  improvements  on  Hardee.  He  rearranged  the 
manual,  so  that  every  movement  formed  the  logical  ground 
work  of  the  succeeding  one.  He  studied  the  science  of  fence, 
so  that  he  could  hold  a  rapier  with  De  Villiers,  the  most  dash 
ing  of  the  Algerine  swordsmen.  He  always  had  a  hand  as 
true  as  steel,  and  an  eye  like  a  gerfalcon.  He  used  to  amuse 
himself  by  shooting  ventilation-holes  through  his  window- 
panes.  Standing  ten  paces  from  the  window,  he  could  fire  the 
seven  shots  from  his  revolver,  and  not  shiver  the  glass  beyond 
the  circumference  of  a  half-dollar.  I  have  seen  a  photograph 
of  his  arm  taken  at  this  time.  The  knotted  coil  of  thews  and 
sinews  looks  like  the  magnificent  exaggerations  of  antique 
sculpture. 

"  His  person  was  strikingly  prepossessing.  His  form,  though 
slight — exactly  the  Napoleonic  size — was  very  compact  and 
commanding ;  the  head  statuesquely  poised,  and  crowned  with 
a  luxuriance  of  curling  black  hair  ;  a  hazel  eye,  bright,  though 
serene,  the  eye  of  a  gentleman  as  well  as  a  soldier  ;  a  nose  such 
as  you  see  on  Eoman  medals  ;  a  light  moustache  just  shading 
the  lips,  that  were  continually  curving  into  the  sunniest  smiles. 
His  voice,  deep  and  musical,  instantly  attracted  attention  ;  and 
his  address,  though  not  without  soldierly  brusqueness,  was 
sincere  and  courteous.  There  was  one  thing  his  backwoods 
detractors  could  never  forgive  :  he  always  dressed  well ;  and, 
sometimes,  wore  the  military  insignia  presented  to  him  by  dif 
ferent  organizations.  One  of  these,  a  gold  circle,  inscribed 
with  the  legend  'NoN  NOBIS,  SED  PRO  PATEIA,'  was  driven 
into  his  heart  by  the  slug  of  the  Virginian  assassin. 


OF     THE     WAR.  107 

"He  had  great  tact  and  executive  talent,  was  a  good  mathe 
matician,  possessed  a  fine  artistic  eye,  sketched  well  and 
rapidly,  and.  in  short,  bore  a  deft  and  skilful  hand  in  all  gen 
tlemanly  exercise. 

"  No  one  ever  possessed  greater  power  of  enforcing  the  res 
pect  and  fastening  the  affections  of  men.  Strangers  soon 
recognized  and  acknowledged  this  power  ;  while  to  his  friends 
he  always  seemed  like  a  Paladin  or  Cavalier  of  the  dead  days 
of  romance  and  beauty.  He  was  so  generous  and  loyal,  so 
stainless  and  brave,  that  Bayard  himself  would  have  been 
proud  of  him.  The  grand  bead-roll  of  the  virtues  of  the 
Flower  of  Kings  contains  the  principles  that  guided  his  life  ; 
he  used  to  read  with  exquisite  appreciation  these  lines : 

*  To  reverence  the  King  as  if  he  were 
Their  conscience,  and  their  conscience  as  their  King, — 
To  break  the  heathen  and  uphold  the  Christ, — 
To  ride  abroad  redressing  human  wrongs, — 
To  speak  no  slander,  no,  nor  listen  to  it, — 
To  lead  sweet  lives  in  purest  chastity, — 
To  love  one  maiden  only,  cleave  to  her, 
And  worship  her  by  years  of  noble  deeds. 
Until  they  won  her' ; 

and  the  rest, — 

*  high  thoughts,  and  amiable  words, 
And  courtliness,  and  the  desire  of  fame, 
And  love  of  truth,  and  all  that  makes  a  man.' 

"Such,  in  person  and  character,  was  Ellsworth,  when  he 
organized,  on  the  4th  day  of  May,  1859,  the  United  States 
Zouave  Cadets,  of  Chicago. 

"  This  company  was  the  machine  upon  which  he  was  to  ex 
periment.  Disregarding  all  extant  works  upon  tactics,  he 
drew  up  a  simpler  system  for  the  use  of  his  men.  Throwing 
aside  the  old  ideas  of  soldierly  bearing,  he  taught  them  to  use 
vigor,  promptness,  and  ease.  Discarding  the  stiff  buckram 
strut  of  martial  tradition,  he  educated  them  to  move  with  the 
loafing  insouciance  of  the  Indian,  or  the  graceful  ease  of  the 
panther.  He  tore  off  their  choking  collars  and  binding  coats, 


108  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

and  invented  a  uniform  which,  though  too  flashy  and  conspi 
cuous  for  actual  service,  was  very  bright  and  dashing  for  holi 
day  occasions,  and  left  the  wearer  perfectly  free  to  fight,  strike, 
kick,  jump,  or  run. 

"  He  drilled  these  young  men  for  about  a  year,  at  short  in 
tervals.  His  discipline  was  very  severe  and  rigid.  Added  to 
the  punctilio  of  the  martinet  was  the  rigor  of  the  moralist 
The  slightest  exhibition  of  intemperance  or  licentiousness  was 
punished  by  instant  degradation  and  expulsion.  He  struck 
from  the  rolls  at  one  time  twelve  of  his  best  men,  for  breaking 
the  rule  of  total  abstinence.  His  moral  power  over  them  was 
perfect  and  absolute.  I  believe  any  one  of  them  would  have 
died  for  him. 

"  In  two  or  three  principal  towns  of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin, 
he  drilled  other  companies  :  in  Springfield,  where  he  made  the 
friends  who  best  appreciated  what  was  best  in  him ;  and  in 
Eockford,  where  he  formed  an  attachment  which  imparted  a 
coloring  of  tender  romance  to  all  the  days  of  his  busy  life  that 
remained.  This  tragedy  would  not  have  been  perfect  without 
the  plaintive  minor  strain  of  Love  in  Death. 

"  His  company  took  the  Premium  Colors  at  the  United 
States  Agricultural  Fair,  and  Ellsworth  thought  it  was  time  to 
show  to  the  people  some  fruit  of  his  drill.  They  issued  their 
soldierly  deft  and  started  on  their  Marche  de  Triomphe.  It  is 
useless  to  recall  to  those  who  read  newspapers,  the  clustering 
glories  of  that  bloodless  campaign.  Hardly  had  they  left  the 
suburbs  of  Chicago,  when  the  murmur  of  applause  began. 
New  York,  secure  in  the  championship  of  half  a  century,  lis 
tened  with  quiet  metropolitan  scorn  to  the  noise  of  the  shout 
ing  provinces  ;  but  when  the  crimson  phantasms  marched  out 
of  the  Park,  on  the  evening  of  the  15th  of  July,  New  York, 
with  metropolitan  magnanimity,  confessed  herself  utterly  van 
quished  by  the  good  thing  that  had  come  out  of  Nazareth. 
There  was  no  resisting  the  Zouaves.  As  the  erring  Knight 
of  the  Bound  Table  said  : 

'  men  went  down  before  his  spear  at  a  touch, 
But  knowing  he  was  Launcelot ;  his  great  name  conquered.'  " 


OF     THE     WAK.  109 

A  New  York  journal  thus  chronicled  their  advent  to  the 
Metropolis,  and  their  successes  :  "On  their  arrival  in  this  city 
they  were  recei^v  ed  with  appropriate  honors,  and  on  the  day  of 
their  arrival,  after  having  journeyed  over  one  thousand  miles, 
they  gave  an  exhibition  drill  in  the  Park  before  the  Mayor 
and  Common  Council,  a  large  number  of  military  men,  and  at 
least  eight  thousand  spectators.  Their  evolutions  were  pro 
nounced  unexcelled.  At  that  time  the  Zouave  drill  was  new 
to  most  of  us.  The  unique  and  j  aunty  dress  of  the  Chi  cagoians, 
their  quick  and  strange  evolutions,  their  masterly  precision  and 
unanimity  of  drill,  attracted  general  admiration  from  the  pub 
lic  and  won  golden  opinions  for  Colonel  Ellsworth.  All  the 
colonels  of  our  crack  regiments  attended  their  drills,  (of  which 
they  gave  a  series  in  this  city  and  Brooklyn,)  and  studied 
Colonel  Ellsworth's  manoeuvres.  At  the  urgent  solicitation  of 
many  of  our  leading  civilians  and  military  men — among  the 
latter  was  the  lamented  Colonel  Vosburgh— Lthey  gave  an  ex 
hibition  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  and  notwithstanding  it  was 
midsummer  and  the  heat  very  oppressive,  that  colossal  edifice 
was  filled  from  parquette  to  ampitheatre  by  the  elite  of  the  city. 
Ou  the  departure  of  the  Chicago  Zouaves  from  this  city  they 
were  magnificently  entertained  by  the  Second  company  Na 
tional  Guard,  at  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel.  In  reply  to  a  senti 
ment,  complimenting  his  corps,  Colonel  Ellsworth  replied, 
'  that  it  was  from  witnessing  the  proficiency  of  the  National 
Guard,  of  New  York,  in  military  movements,  that  induced 
him  to  take  command  of  his  comrades,  and  take  them  as  his 
model.'  After  visiting  Boston,  Colonel  Ellsworth  and  his 
command  returned  to  this  city,  and  were  escorted  hence  to  West 
Point,  where  they  gave  an  exhibition  drill  in  the  presence  of 
Governor  Banks,  Jeff.  Davis  and  Colonel  Hardee.  At  Boston, 
Philadelphia,  Washington  and  the  other  cities  visited,  Colonel 
Ellsworth  and  his  command  were  received  with  marked  favor. 
Indeed,  there  is  not  an  instance  in  our  military  history  where 
a  military  company  were  so  hospitably  received.  Colonel  Ells 
worth's  name  will  go  down  to  posterity  as  the  founder,  in  this 
country,  of  the  popular  Zouave  drill  At  this  time  there  are 

K 


110  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

several  thousand  Zouave  organizations  in  this  section  and  the 
West,  all  dating  their  organization  since  the  tour  of  the  Chi« 
cagoians." 

This  military  escapade  of  course  had  seriously  interrupted 
his  legal  studies.  After  the  return  from  the  East,  of  the  Zou 
aves,  Ellsworth  entered  the  law  office  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  at 
Springfield,  Illinois.  But,  the  excitement  of  a  warmly  con 
tested  political  campaign,  in  which  he  took  an  active  and  very 
popular  part,  sorely  interfered  with  the  prosecution  of  his 
studies  of  the  law.  An  enthusiastic  devotion  to  military  sci 
ence  with  special  reference  to  an  elaboration  of  his  plan  for  a 
State  and  National  Military  organization,  left  little  thought  of 
legal  lore  in  his  mind.  Conceiving  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
to  be  assured,  he  gave  such  detailed  consistency  to  his  plan  as 
to  have  drawn  up  his  schedule  of  organization.  It  embraced 
— as  quoted  by  the  writer  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly  from  Ells 
worth's  own  exquisitely  neat  memorandum — the  following 
sections : 

"  First :  The  gradual  concentration  of  all  business  pertaining 
to  the  militia  now  conducted  by  the  several  bureaus  of  this 
Department 

"  Second:  The  collection  and  systematizing  of  accurate  infor 
mation  of  the  number,  arm,  and  condition  of  the  militia  of  all 
classes  of  the  several  States,  and  the  compilation  of  -  .<,ny  re 
ports  of  the  same,  for  the  information  of  this  P-4-.  .\.uent 

"  Third:  The  compilation  of  a  report  of  tht  i  *,i  aaJ  condition 
of  the  militia,  and  the  working  of  the  present  systems  of  the 
General  Government  and  the  various  States. 

"  Fourth:  The  publication  and  distribution  of  such  informa 
tion  as  is  important  to  the  militia,  and  the  conduct  of  all  cor 
respondence  relating  to  militia  affairs. 

"  Fifth :  The  compilation  of  a  system  of  instruction  for  light 
troops,  for  distribution  to  the  several  States,  including  every 
thing  pertaining  to  the  instruction  of  the  militia  in  the  school 
of  the  soldier— company  and  battalion,  skirmishing,  bayonet, 
and  gymnastic  drill,  adapted  for  self-instruction. 

"  Sixth  :  The  arrangement  of  a  system  of  organization,  with 


OF    THE     WAR.  Ill 

a  view  to  the  establishment  of  a  uniform  system  of  drill,  disci 
pline,  equipment,  and  dress,  throughout  the  United  States." 

Mr.  Lincoln  became  strongly  attached  to  Ellsworth — as  the 
incident  already  related  (page  100)  will  prove.  When  the  jour 
ney  to  Washington  was  arranged,  he  became  one  of  the  chosen 
few  to  form  the  cortege  of  the  President-elect.  On  that  journey 
he  was  the  life  and  spirit  of  the  party.  He  seemed  to  enter 
tain  hopes  of  a  realization  of  his  dreams :  why  should  he  not 
have  been  happy  ?  How  little  the  novice  in  intrigue  knew  of 
the  humiliation,  mortification,  self-abasement,  sacrifices  of  per 
sonal  independence  necessary  to  secure  "an  office"  !  How  his 
soul  must  have  shrunk  from  contact  with  the  countless  horde 
of  "  seekers"  who  infested  Washington  in  March,  1861 !  If  his 
pen  had  been  asked  to  portray  the  impression  which  that 
scramble  for  office  made  on  his  mind,  what  a  loathing  picture 
it  would  have  been ! 

With  the  President's  endorsement  he  applied  formally  for 
the  position  of  First  Clerk  in  the  War  Department — hoping, 
ultimately,  to  obtain  a  bureau  organization  devoted  to  his 
scheme  of  reconstruction  of  the  military  department.  The 
First  Clerkship,  he  ascertained  to  his  astonishment  and  morti 
fication,  had  long  been  bestowed  upon  another.  Inquiry 
showed  him  that  almost  all  other  responsible  places  in  the 
War  Department  had  been  allotted  to  political  favorites.  He 
withdrew,  in  disgust,  from  the  scene  of  such  bargain  and  sale 
of  place,  and  would  have  returned  immediately  to  the  West, 
to  work  out  his  schemes  unaided,  had  not  the  President  inter 
posed,  by  commissioning  him  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  regular 
army,  with  the  promise  of  detailing  him  to  a  special  service. 
This  opened  the  way  for  military  activity,  and  gave  promise 
of  the  golden  opportunity  for  initiating  his  reforms.  Bat  here 
the  jealousy  of  the  "regulars"  came  to  mortify  and  annoy 
him.  The  appointment  to  the  army  of  a  "  civilian"  was  bad 
enough ;  but  when  this  same  "  outsider"  came  with  schemes 
of  reform — bah !  he  was  not  to  be  endured  !  And  so  the 
young  aspirant  was  put  "  in  Coventry,"  and  a  fever  followed. 

The  bugle  note  of  alarm  came  sounding  up  from  the  South 


112  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

to  catch  his  ear.  The  crisis  so  long  threatened  had  come,  and 
it  found  him  prepared.  His  sick  couch  was  deserted.  The 
President's  commission  was  quietly  returned  to  the  War  De 
partment,  and  Ellsworth  was  soon  on  his  way  to  New  York  to 
enlist  a  regiment  of  men  whom  he  knew  would  follow  him  to 
the  death.  The  pages  of  this  work  attest  how  well  he  succeed 
ed  in  his  original  design.  In  twenty  days'  time  he  returned  to 
the  Capital  with  a  regiment,  eleven  hundred  strong — turbu 
lent  spirits,  many  of  them,  but  all  brave  and  heroic  to  the  last 
degree.  The  writer  in  the  Atlantic  said  : 

"  He  divided  his  regiment,  according  to  his  own  original 
idea,  into  groups  of  four  comrades  each,  for  the  campaign.  He 
exercised  a  personal  supervision  over  the  most  important  and 
the  most  trivial  minutiae  of  the  regimental  business.  The 
quick  sympathy  of  the  public  still  followed  him.  He  became 
the  idol  of  the  Bowery  and  the  pet  of  the  Avenue.  Yet  not 
one  instant  did  he  waste  in  recreation  or  lionizing.  Indulgent 
to  all  others,  he  was  merciless  to  himself.  He  worked  day  and 
night,  like  an  incarnation  of  energy.  When  he  arrived  with 
his  men  in  Washington,  he  was  thin,  hoarse,  flushed,  but  en 
tirely  contented  and  happy,  because  busy  and  useful. 

"  Of  the  bright  enthusiasm  and  the  quenchless  industry  of 
the  next  few  weeks,  what  need  to  speak  ?  Every  day,  by  his 
unceasing  toil  and  care,  by  his  vigor,  alertness,  activity,  by  his 
generosity,  and  by  his  relentless  rigor  when  duty  commanded, 
he  grew  into  the  hearts  of  his  robust  and  manly  followers, 
until  every  man  in  the  regiment  feared  him  as  a  Colonel 
should  be  feared,  and  loved  him  as  a  brother  should  be  loved. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  twenty -third  of  May,  he  called  his 
men  together,  and  made  a  brief,  stirring  speech  to  them,  an 
nouncing  their  orders  to  advance  on  Alexandria.  '  Now,  boys, 
go  to  bed,  and  wake  up  at  two  o'clock  for  a  sail  and  a  skir 
mish.'  When  the  camp  was  silent,  he  began  to  work.  He 
wrote  many  hours,  arranging  the  business  of  the  regiment. 
He  finished  his  labor  as  the  midnight  stars  were  crossing  the 
zenith.  As  he  sat  in  his  tent  by  the  shore,  it  seems  as  if  the 
mystical  gales  from  the  near  eternity  must  have  breathed  for 


OF     THE     WAR.  113 

a  moment  over  his  soul,  freighted  with  the  odor  of  amaranths 
and  asphodels.  For  he  wrote  two  strange  letters  :  one  to  her 
who  mourns  him  faithful  in  death  ;  one  to  his  parents.  There 
is  nothing  braver  or  more  pathetic.  With  the  prophetic  in 
stinct  of  love,  he  assumed  the  office  of  consoler  for  the  stroke 
tiiat  impended." 

The  letter  to  his  beloved,  no  eyes  have  seen  but  hers  for  whom 
they  were  written — eyes  that  never  more  were  to  look  upon 
their  ideal  until  th^  portals  of  Heaven  open  to  reveal  him  as 
transfigured  in  the  light  of  a  world  where  all  is  peace.  The 
letter  to  his  parents,  so  touching  and  so  true  in  its  divided  de 
votion,  we  may  quote  as  a  fitting  close  to  this  record  of  one  of 
the  sixty  thousand  lives  sacrificed  in  the  struggle  with  con 
spiracy  and  treason  : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  FIRST  ZOUAVES,  CAMP  LINCOLN, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  23d,  1861. 

"  MY  DEAR  FATHER  AND  MOTHER  :  The  regiment  is  ordered 
to  move  across  the  river  to-night.  We  have  no  means  of 
knowing  what  reception  we  are  to  meet  with.  I  am  inclined 
.to  the  opinion  that  our  entrance  to  the  city  of  Alexandria  will 
be  hotly  contested,  as  I  am  just  informed  a  large  force  have 
arrived  there  to-day.  Should  this  happen,  my  dear  parents^ 
it  may  be  my  lot  to  be  injured  in  some  manner.  Whatever 
may  happen,  cherish  the  consolation  that  I  was  engaged  in  the 
performance  of  a  sacred  duty  ;  and  to-night,  thinking  over  the 
probabilities  of  to-morrow,  and  the  occurrences  of  the  past,  I 
am  perfectly  content  to  accept  whatever  my  fortune  may  be, 
confident  that  He  who  noteth  even  the  fall  of  a  sparrow,  will 
have  some  purpose  even  in  the  fate  of  one  like  me. 

"  My  darling  and  ever-loved  parents,  good-bye.  God  bless, 
protect  and  care  for -you,  ELMER." 


K2  15 


THE     FIKST     CAPTUKE     OF    TE     FLAG. 

THE  tragedy  of  Ellsworth  gave  a  sad  interest  to  the  flag 
which  had  floated  from  the  roof  of  the  "  Marshall  House,"  in 
Alexandria.  That  flag  had  floated  there  in  defiance,  in  full 
view  of  the  Capital,  and  its  insolent  proprietor  had  sworn  it 
never  should  come  down  as  long  as  he  was  alive. 

Before  the  occupation  of  the  place,  on  the  morning  of  the 
24th  of  May,  by  the  Federal  forces,  an  attempt  to  seize  and  bear 
away  the  detested  emblem  of  rebellion  and  defiance  had  been 
made  by  the  daring  of  a  single  man.  The  incident  so  hap 
pily  illustrates  the  nerve  of  the  true  "  Yankee,"  and  is,  withal, 
so  full  of  exciting  interest,  that  we  give  the  story  at  length. 

Two  brothers  were  seen  in  Alexandria  on  the  evening  of 
Tuesday,  May  21st.  They  entered  their  names  on  the  "  Mar 
shall  House"  register,  as  Charles  E.  Fuller,  of  Boston,  and  W. 
J.  A.  Fuller,  of  New  York  Of  course  both  became  "  spotted" 
characters  from  that  moment.  They  extended  their  observa 
tions  to  all  parts  of  the  place,  where  sentinels  did  not  bar  the 
way.  After  a  thorough  exploration  of  the  city,  they  dined  at 
the  hotel,  with  about  fifty  officers  of  the  Secession  army,  and 
the  elder  brother  took  the  last  stage  for  Washington,  which  he 
reached  that  night  without  any  striking  adventure.  The 
younger  brother,  Charles,  had  tarried,  to  accomplish  his  pur 
pose  of  seizing  the  flag  which  covered  the  house,  and  which 
Jackson,  its  proprietor,  insolently  told  Mr.  Fuller,  '  no  d — d 
Yankee  ever  would  see  come  down !"  As  Mr.  Fuller  hailed 
from  Boston,  the  taunt  had  made  him  resolved  that  a  Yankee 
would  not  only  see  it  down,  but  that  he  himself  would  be  the 


OF     THE     WAK.  115 

very  person  to  take  it  down.  So  it  was  arranged  by  the 
brothers  that  Charles  should  stay  at  the  hotel  all  night,  while 
"W.  J.  went  to  Washington,  and  then  pulled  down  the  river  to 
the  sloop  of  war,  Pawnee,  which  lay  off  Alexandria,  with  guns 
shotted  and  men  ready  for  any  emergency.  With  the  officers 
of  the  Pawnee  he  concerted  to  answer  his  brother's  signals,  and 
to  offer  his  aid  when  he  should  plunge  into  the  river,  after 
seizing  the  flag. 

The  hotel,  a  large  four-story  building,  was  filled  with  Seces 
sion  officers  and  men.  Mr.  Fuller  had  a  room  assigned  him  in 
the  main  building,  from  the  roof  of  which  the  flag-staff  ran  up 
through  an  open  scuttle.  After  tea  he  groped  his  way  toward 
the  roof,  and  found  the  u.pper  doors  locked.  He  then  climbed 
the  nearest  window,  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  stairway,  and 
found  it  nailed  down.  He  bought  a  hammer  at  a  hardware 
store,  went  back,  and  drew  the  nails.  Being  a  perfect  gym 
nast,  and  active  as  a  cat,  he  expected  to  climb  to  the  roof  by 
the  spout,  but  this  proved  rotten  as  paper,  and  compelled  him 
to  abandon  the  attempt.  He  next  searched  about  the  city  and 
found  a  locksmith,  whom  he  told  that  he  wanted  a  bunch  of 
keys  to  open  a  closet.  The  man  offered  to  go  with  him  and  fit 
the  lock,  but  Mr.  Fuller  "  did  not  see  it"  in  that  light.  He 
said  he  would  not  trouble  him  to  go,  but  would  take  a  bunch 
of  keys,  and  leave  five  dollars  deposit  for  their  return. 

Armed  with  ten  keys,  he  returned  to  the  hotel,  watched  like 
a  cat  for  his  opportunity,  and,  when  the  coast  was  clear, 
ascended  to  the  upper  story,  and  tried  his  keys.  Six  of  them 
were  tried  unsuccessfully,  and  the  seventh  had  turned  the  lock, 
when  he  was  nearly  surprised  by  a  party  of  soldiers  who  came 
up  the  stairs.  He  rushed  into  a  sort  of  dark  closet  adjoining, 
secreted  himself  under  a  mattress,  and  waited  with  breathless 
anxiety  until  they  passed  into  the  next  room,  where  they  soon 
became  absorbed  in  a  lively  game  of  "  poker,"  at  five  cents 
"  ante ;"  he  then  went  back,  unlocked  the  door,  felt  his  way  in 
the  dark  to  the  flag-staff,  tried  the  signal  halyards,  found  that 
everything  worked  beautifully,  and  that  he  was  sure,  at  least, 
of  hauling  down  the  flag.  He  mounted  to  the  roof,  and  took 


116  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

a  general  survey  of  the  premises.  This  was  about  eight  o'clock 
in  the  evening  ;  the  streets  were  full  of  citizens  and  troopers, 
and  the  full  moon  shone  bright  as  day.  He  was  again  alarmed 
by  a  party  of  soldiers  mounting  the  stairs,  and  feared  that  the 
slight  lowering  and  raising  of  the  flag,  made  when  he  was  trying 
the  halyards,  had  been  observed  from  the  streets.  He  stood  be 
hind  the  door,  determined  to  jump  by  the  first  comers,  and  over 
the  heads  of  those  coming  after,  and  make  a  run  for  the  dock, 
some  four  or  five  blocks  off,  jump  in  and  swim  to  the  Pawnee. 
Happily  the  troops  went  into  another  room.  He  then  went 
toward  the  river  to  alter  the  moorings  of  a  small  vessel,  so 
that  her  change  of  position  might  signify  to  his  brother,  that  a 
boat  could  approach  within  hail ;  but  was  turned  back  by  sen 
tinels  at  every  street  approaching  the  river.;  the  whole  shore 
was  guarded.  He  then  determined  to  go  back  to  the  hotel, 
haul  down  the  flag,  and  trust  to  the  chapter  of  accidents.  After 
a  careful  reconnoissance,  at  about  ten  o'clock,  when  everybody's 
attention  was  engaged  by  the  passing  of  three  cavalry  com 
panies,  he  hauled  down  the  flag,  cut  the  halyards  and  made 
them  fast  to  the  cleet,  that  they  might  not  be  observed  swing 
ing  loosely.  To  his  horror  he  discovered  that  he  had  caught 
an  "elephant."  The  flag  was  over  thirty  feet  long,  and  about, 
fifteen  feet  wide.  He  took  off  his  coat,  vest,  and  pants,  and 
commenced  winding  the  flag  about  his  body.  To  use  his  own 
expression,  he  thought  he  never  should  get  it  all  coiled  away. 
He  succeeded,  however,  by  making  a  sort  of  Daniel  Lambert 
of  himself.  Tying  around  him  his  pants  and  coat  with  a  cord, 
he  effectually  hid  the  piratical  emblem.  Marching  boldly 
down  stairs,  he  got  out  of  the  house  without  exciting  suspicion, 
arid  started  on  his  travels.  Critical  as  was  his  position,  with 
the  river  bank  lined  with  sentries,  and  the  picket  guards  ex 
tended  to  Long  Bridge,  where  he  knew  the  draw  was  raised,  it 
soon  became  perilous  in  the  extreme,  by  a  general  alarm, 
which  was  given  in  consequence  of  the  flag  having  been  mis 
sed.  Patrolmen  rushed  in  every  direction  to  "  cut  off  retreat" 
from  the  house,  yet  the  fleet-footed  Yankee  only  laughed  at 
their  pains,  for  he  was  safely  beyond  the  square.  An  old  shed 


OF     THE     WAK.  117 

offered  a  retreat  from  the  excited  street.  Into  it  he  crept,  pro 
posing  to  lie  concealed  until  the  moon  should  be  obscured  by 
passing  clouds,  when  he  determined  to  push  for  the  back 
country,  make  a  circuit  above  the  town,  and  swim  across  to 
Ellsworth's  Zouave  camp,  whose  fires  he  could  plainly  see. 
He  saw  his  brother's  boat  (with  a  detachment  of  twelve  men 
from  the  Massachusetts  Fifth)  lying  off  in  the  middle  of  the 
river,  but  dared  not  hail  her,  for  fear  of  causing  his  certain 
arrest.  He  managed  to  push  from  picket  to  picket,  by  wary 
advances,  at  one  time  lying  flat  on  his  back  for  half-an-hour, 
while  the  guard  was  smoking  within  a  few  feet  of  him,  until 
he  broke  cover  in  the  open  country,  beyond  the  suburbs,  when 
the  moon  shown  out  brightly,  and  he  found  himself  suddenly 
confronted  by  two  sentries.  He  made  a  rush  to  pass  them, 
when  both  of  them  seized  him.  He  grasped  one  by  the  breast 
and  threw  him  to  the  ground  with  such  violence  that  he 
wrenched  off  one  of  the  Yirginian  army  buttons,  which  he 
afterward  wore  on  his  watch-guard  as  a  trophy.  The  other 
sentry  dropped  his  gun  and  fled  ;  but  a  third  soldier,  a  power 
ful  man,  clinched  him  from  behind,  and,  after  a  brief  but  fierce 
struggle,  he  was  hopelessly  a  prisoner.  He  retained  his  pres 
ence  of  mind,  and  by  ready  wit  and  fertility  of  invention  saved 
himself  from  personal  violence. 

His  captor  proved  to  be  Jackson,  who,  at  first  indignant  at 
the  theft,  was  so  pleased  with  the  nonchalance  of  the  Yankee 
as  to  be  disarmed  of  his  anger ;  and  he  marched  the  prisoner 
back  to  the  hotel  in  perfect  good  humor.  Fuller  was  permited 
to  retire  to  his  room  on  his  parole  not  to  escape.  Jackson  re 
marked  that  he  was  "  too  smart  and  decent  for  a  miserable 
Yankee."  Fuller  tried  the  power  of  money,  but  the  rank 
rebel  replied  that  "  it  could  not  be  bought  for  $10,000"— that 
"  old  Lincoln  had  threatened  to  take  it  down,  and  he  wanted 
to  see  him  do  it." 

After  a  night  of  anxious  unrest,  Mr.  Fuller  came  down  to 
breakfast,  and  found  that  everybody  was  observing  him  and 
pointing  him  out  as  the  "  d — d  Yankee"  who  had  hauled  down 
the  flag.  He  sauntered  through  the  city,  made  small  pur- 


118  INCIDENTS     ANDANECDOT.ES 

chases  of  tobacco,  &c.,  in  the  deserted  stores,  and  went  to  a 
secession  meeting  at  night.  One  of  the  speakers  alluded  very 
feelingly  to  the  imperishable  glory  which  covered  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,  and  related  with  thrilling  pathos  how  his  father, 
a  veteran  of  eighty  years,  still  clung  to  them.  At  this  point 
Fuller's  patriotic  feeling  overcame  his  prudence  ;  he  clapped  his 
hands  loudly  in  applause,  when  the  whole  meeting,  electrified 
by  the  speaker,  applauded  to  the  echo.  But  the  excitability 
of  "  the  Yankee"  caused  the  crowd  to  glower  at  him  so  fero 
ciously  that  he  concluded  "  to  beat  a  retreat  rather  than  be 
borne  down  in  front  or  outflanked." 

The  detention  of  Charles  caused  great  apprehensions  for  his 
safety.  Arranging  with  the  officers  of  the  Pawnee  for  the  co 
operation  of  its  guns  and  marines  in  event  of  his  (W.  J.'s)  de 
tention,  he  pushed  down  to  Alexandria  from  the  Long  Bridge, 
Wednesday  morning.  After  much  negotiation,  and  the  mena 
cing  position  assumed  by  the  sloop-of-war,  Charles  was  released 
on  Thursday  and  given  over  to  Commander  Rowan,  of  the 
Pawnee.  Arrangements  had  been  thoroughly  made  to  assault 
and  burn  the  city,  had  the  Fullers  been  detained.  Several 
companies  of  the  Massachusetts  Fifth  took  a  solemn  vow  that 
they  would  take  the  city,  "  orders  or  no  orders,"  and  Ells 
worth's  "  boys"  were  "  in  the  ring."  But  the  orders  would  have 
been  given.  On  the  night  of  Thursday,  Mr.  Fuller,  sure  of  co 
operation  by  water,  again  tried  to  take  the  flag ;  but  it  was 
guarded  by  two  soldiers,  sleeping  in  the  attic,  and  watched  in 
cessantly  by  sentinels  outside.  So  he  contented  himself  with 
taking  the  flag  which  hung  up  in  the  hall.  This  he  wound 
round  his  person,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  away  with  him. 

The  elder  brother  had  arranged  a  "  seizure"  of  his  own — • 
thus  to  anticipate  Charles  and  snatch  the  trophy  from  him,  or 
at  least  to  insure  its  certain  capture  as  well  as  the  capture  of 
Alexandria  itself !  The  story  runs  :  W.  J.  Fuller,  in  com 
mand  of  a  detachment  of  twelve  sailors  from  Captain  Ward- 
well's  company,  under  Lieutenants  Stoddard  and  Williams, 
determined  to  go  round  the  Pawnee,  and  then  pull  straight  to 
shore,  answering  any  hail  with  —  "boat  from  the  Pawnee.'11 


OF     THE     WAR.  119 

He  Jcmw  the  fears  of  the  city,  troops  and  all,  that  her  guns 
could  level  the  place  in  thirty  minutes.  He  intended  to  take 
half  his  men,  seize  the  sentries,  march  openly  to  the  hotel,  de 
mand  the  flag,  his  brother,  and  the  unconditional  surrender  of 
the  troops  and  the  city.  But  this  pretty  scheme  was  vetoed 
by  the  Commander.  It  was,  of  course,  not  in  the  Commander- 
In-Chief 's  programme  of  operations ;  but  was,  nevertheless,  a 
characteristic  Yankee  invention. 

In  conceiving  this  assault,  Mr.  Fuller  was  but  embodying 
the  ideas  which  he  enunciated  at  the  great  demonstration  in 
New  York  city,  May  20th — on  which  occasion  he  was  one  of 
the  chosen  speakers.  He  said,  among  other  stirring  things  : 

"  Let  the  Government  forever  discard  its  l  do  little  and  drift 
along'  policy,  and  give  the  people  action,  action — prompt,  vig 
orous,  energetic,  crushing,  bloody  and  decisive.  Let  it  quit 
searching  musty  law  tomes  for  precedents.  Make  precedents. 
The  idea  of  the  Government  being  harnessed  down  by  the  iron 
bands  of  formula  and  delay  when  dealing  with  revolutionists, 
traitors  and  rebels,  is  criminal  and  absurd.  Inter  arma  leges 
silent.  When  General  Jackson  threatened  to  hang  Calhoun,  he 
was  told  by  his  Attorney-General  that  there  was  no  law  for  it. 
His  reply  was,  '  If  you  can't  find  law  for  me,  I  will  appoint  an 
Attorney-General  who  can.'  If  the  Government  will  adopt  a 
vigorous  policy,  the  law  for  everything  it  does  will  be  found 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  The  eyes  of  the  people  are  upon 
the  Government.  They  cannot  wait  its  tardy  action.  They 
will  reward  energy,  and  will  hold  it  to  a  strict  accountability 
for  imbecility." 


XI. 


A  NORTHERN  BREEZE  FROM  THE  SOUTH. 

THE  Great  Eebellion  called  forth  many  splendid  efforts  of 
oratory.  It  is  probable  that  no  people  on  the  face  of  the  globe 
are  more  constantly  associated  with  the  sublime  elements  of 
country,  which  are  supposed  to  influence  the  minds  of  men  to 
sublime  expression,  than  Americans  ;  yet,  it  has  frequently 
been  remarked  by  ourselves,  as  well  as  by  foreigners,  that 
no  country  produces  so  few  truly  eloquent  orators.  The 
experience  of  the  past  few  months  proves  that  the  talent  for 
eloquent  expression  is  wide-spread,  and  that  only  the  occasion 
is  wanting  to  call  it  forth.  The  Congress  of  1860-61  gave  birth 
to  many  supurb  declamations  : — indeed,  the  entire  session  was 
one  succession  of  speeches  and  argumentative  efforts,  which 
alone,  would  immortalize  the  occasion.  We  may  point  to 
them,  in  confidence,  as  a  living  evidence  of  the  extraordinary 
mental  resources  of  the  American  people,  as  the  war  which 
followed  was  an  evidence  of  their  tremendous  physical 
resources. 

Our  volume  of  "  Incidents  and  Anecdotes"  scarcely  permits 
the  reproduction  of  these  oratorical  efforts ;  yet,  some  of  them 
were  made  under  such  peculiar  circumstances  as  to  become 
incidents  of  the  struggle.  Such  were  the  impassioned  speeches 
made  in  the  Virginia  Convention  and  General  Assembly  by 
the  Union  men  ;  in  Tennessee,  by  the  fearless  men  of  the  hills  ; 
in  Kentucky,  by  the  worthy  sons  of  "  Old  Ken  tuck"  sires. 
Few  of  these,  however,  were  reported,  much  to  the  loss  of  our 
patriotic  literature ;  only  sketches  were  placed  on  record,  to 
outline  what  was,  at  the  moment,  a  splendid  creation. 


OF     THE     WAR.  121 

One  made  by  Mr.  Eosseau — afterwards  a  brilliant  General 
in  the  Union  army — in  the  Kentucky  Senate,  May  21st,  1861, 
was  reported.  It  came  at  a  critical  moment  in  the  destiny  of 
his  State,  when  she  hung  in  the  meshes  of  the  miserable 
"  neutrality,"  which  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  an  attitude 
of  defiance  of  the  General  Government,  by  refusing  to  honor 
its  call  for  troops,  and  arming  the  State  to  resist  any  occupa 
tion  of  its  soil  by  Federal  troops,  prosecuting  the  war  for  the 
Union.  Against  this  attitude  the  Senator  protested,  and  finally 
came  out,  with  his  splendid  declamation,  against  the  revolu 
tion  and  in  behalf  of  a  hearty  support  of  the  General  Govern 
ment  in  its  contest  with  treason.  Our  young  men  will  find  in 
the  Kentuckian's  words  and  thoughts  incentives  to  patriotism 
and  honor,  and  to  them  we  sincerely  commend  the  extracts 
which  we  may  feel  at  liberty  to  give  : 

"  Mr.  Speaker :  Permit  me  to  tell  you,  sir,  what  I  think  of 
this  whole  atrocious  scheme  of  Secession.  I  speak  for  myself 
only,  and  am  alone  responsible  for  what  I  say ;  and  I  thank 
God  that  I  may  still  speak  what  I  think  on  Kentucky  soil. 
Yes,  sir,  good,  brave  old  Kentucky,  my  mother,  'my  own 
native  land,'  is  still  free.  There  is  no  reign  of  terror  here.  We 
still  have  free  speech,  a  free  press,  and,  as  yet,  we  are  free  men. 
Kentucky  is  true  and  loyal  to  the  Government.  She  still  rests 
her  head  in  peace  and  security  upon  the1  fond  breast  of  her 
mother — the  Union  ;  and  there  may  she  rest  forever !  She  has 
called  upon  her  gallant  sons  to  rally  around  her,  and  beat  off 
the  Vandals  who  would  tear  her  away  from  her  earliest  and 
holiest  associations,  and  bear  her  to  certain  destruction. 

"  Kentucky  is  in  a  false  position.  I  felt  it  from  the  first. 
Yet,  she  having  assumed  a  neutral  attitude,  I  felt  it  to  be  my 
duty  to  stand  by  her,  and  I  have  faithfully  done  so.  I  am 
willing  still  to  stand  by  the  position  of  Kentucky,  if  we  can  do 
so  in  peace  and  security.  But  the  position  is  an  awkward 
one,  and  may  be  more  awkward  yet  before  our  difficulties  are 
ended.  The  Union  is  threatened ;  the  Government  is  threat 
ened  by  those  who  have  not  one  well-grounded  complaint  to 
make  against  it — by  those  who  have  controlled  its  destinies  for 
L  16 


122  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

years.  I  denounce  the  effort,  and  those  who  make  it  I  say 
it  is  wrong — infamous !  and,  if  successful,  it  must  entail  ruin 
upon  us  and  ours.  We  see  the  work  of  mischief  going  on, 
and  quietly  sit  by  with  folded  arms  while  it  is  done. 

"  Kentucky  has  as  much  interest  in  the  Union  as  any  other 
State.  She  loves  it  as  devotedly,  and  shares  its  benefits  and 
blessings  in  common  with  her  sister  States.  She  owes  it  her 
allegiance,  and  her  aid.  Her  people  work  for  the  Union  ;  they 
talk  for  it ;  they  pray  for  its  preservation ;  yet  they  stand  idly 
by,  and  let  others,  who  have  no  more  interest  in  it  than  them 
selves,  defend  it,  and  save  it  if  they  can.  It  is  in  a  death 
struggle  for  existence,  yet  we  have  not  a  hand  to  raise  in  its 
defence.  You  say  that  it  is  the  best  Government  that  ever 
existed  on  earth — it  has  ever  protected  and  never  oppressed 
you.  But  we  are  told  that  this  is  a  fratricidal  war — a  wicked 
war  I  Well,  who  began  it?  Who  caused  it  ?  Who  attempted 
to  break  up  the  Government  ?  Who  set  the  will  of  the  people 
at  defiance,  and  overturn  the  "  best  Government  on  earth  ?  " 
Let  recently  passed  events,  and  those  which  are  daily  being 
enacted,  answer. 

#  #  *  u  rp]^  fo^h  iS)  Olir  duty  at  first  was  to  stand  by 
our  Government,  and  protect  and  defend  it.  If  fit  to  live 
under,  it  was  entitled  to  our  respect  and  confidence  and  alle 
giance.  If  unfit,  it  should  have  been  abandoned  at  once,  and 
another  formed  more  perfect  But  while  we  owe  our  aHe 
giance  to  it,  let  us  acknowledge  it  like  true  men,  and  not  turn 
our  backs  upon  its  greatest  peril.  We  should  not  do  this  if 
we  desire  its  preservation.  We  should  stand  by  it  like  men, 
or  pull  it  down  at  once.  But  we  should  not  stand  by  and  see 
others  pull  it  down  over  our  heads  against  our  will  to  the 
destruction  of  our  liberties,  and  say  : 

"  *  We  oppose  you.  We  love  the  Government.  It  is  the  Government 
of  our  fathers  ;  bought  with  their  blood,  and  bequeathed  to  us.  It  is 
the  best  Government  on  earth,  and  in  its  destruction  we  see  ruin  to  us 
and  ours  ;  but  as  you  and  we  live  in  Slave  States,  go  on  and  do  as  you 
please.  We  will  not  resist  you.  Ruin  us  if  you  will.' 

"And  so  never  lift  a  hand  to  save  us  and  our  children  the 


OF     THE     WAE. 

blessings  of  liberty.  In  my  heart  I  do  not  approve  of  this 
course,  and  what  I  do  not  approve,  no  power  on  earth  shall 
make  me  say.  I  am  for  the  old-  Constitution  of  Washington 
and  his  compeers.  For  the  old  flag,  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 
God  bless  them  ;  and  I  am  against  all  factions  that  would  take 
them  from  me.  It  matters  not  who  they  are  or  whence  they 
come.  Whether  they  come  from  England,  France,  Massa 
chusetts  or  South  Carolina.  If  they  would  destroy  the  Gov 
ernment  of  our  fathers,  I  am  against  them.  No  matter  what 
may  be  the  pretext.  No,  sir,  I  am  for  the  Union,  and  I  am 
willing  to  defend  it  by  any  and  all  proper  means. 

"  Our  Government  is  the  best  in  the  world.  It  has  answered 
well  all  the  ends  for  which  governments  are  made.  We  all 
know  this.  It  has  oppressed  no  man,  nor  has  it  burdened  us 
a  feather's  weight.  It  has  brought  us  nothing  but  blessings. 
Under  it  we  have  been  happy,  prosperous  and  free.  What 
more  can  we  ask  ?  All  that  Government  can  do,  our  Govern 
ment  has  done  for  us.  We  have  been  free,  as  no  nation  was 
ever  free  before  ;  we  have  prospered  as  no  nation  ever  prospered 
before,  and  we  have  rested  in  peace  and  security.  Yet  all 
this  would  not  do.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected,  and  corrupt  poli 
ticians  lost  their  places.  They  had  controlled  the  Government 
in  their  own  way  for  years.  When  they  lost  their  power,  they 
declared  that  the  Government  was  corrupt  and  oppressive,  and 
that  they  would  destroy  it.  They  robbed  it  of  its  arms  and 
munitions  of  war,  sending  them  South ;  they  involved  the 
Government  in  a  debt  of  nearly  a  hundred  mi] lions  of  dollars ; 
robbed  the  treasury ;  and  thus  leaving  the  Government  im 
poverished  and  distracted,  they  commenced  the  atrocious  busi 
ness  of  secession.  They  had  lost  the  offices,  and  they  thought 
it  necessary  to  create  new  ones  for  the  benefit  of  the  defunct 
politicians,  and  they  did  it.  This  is  the  grand  secret  of  the 
whole  affair.  Had  they  retained  their  grip  upon  the  offices, 
you  had  never  heard  of  secession.  All  our  losses,  all  our 
troubles  and  suffering,  are  the  legitimate  results  of  secession. 
We  must  bear  all,  we  must  submit  to  all  this  in  silence,  that 
those  disappointed  politicians  may  be  presidents,  ministers, 


124  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

and  high,  officials.  Their  day  was  ended  by  the  election  of 
Lincoln.  They  knew  this,  and  seceded — made  new  offices  and 
filled  them ! 

"  Behold  the  results  of  secession  !  Distress  and  ruin  stare 
men  in  the  face.  Strong  men,  honest  and  industrious  men, 
cannot  get  bread  for  their  wives  and  children.  The  widow 
and  the  orphan,  helpless  and  destitute,  are  starving.  In  all 
the  large  cities  the  suffering  is  intense ;  work  is  not  to  be 
obtained ;  and  those  who  live  by  their  labor  get  no  money. 
Property  of  every  description  has  depreciated  until  it  is  almost 
worthless.  In  the  Seceded  States,  Union  men  are  driven 
penniless  from  their  homes,  or  hanged  ;  and  all  this,  that 
'  peaceable  secession'  may  go  on,  and  that  politicians  may  fill 
offices  !  And,  after  you  gentlemen  bring  all  these  calamities 
upon  us,  you  falsely  say  that  *  Lincoln  did  it,'  and  that  we 
Union  men  are  Abolitionists,  and  aid  him  !  I  tell  you  that 
Lincoln  has  not  done  it.  He  was  elected  President  by  your 
help.  You  ran  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  that  the  Demo 
cratic  party  might  be  divided,  and  Lincoln  elected.  That 
was  your  purpose,  and  you  accomplished  it ;  and  now  you 
have  elected  Lincoln  thus,  you  must  break  up  the  Govern 
ment  because  he  is  elected  !  This  is  your  programme — deny 
it  who  can  ! 

"  South  Carolina  was  irritated  at  the  presence  of  Major 
Anderson  and  fifty-five  men  at  Fort  Sumter  ;  so  irritated  that 
she  could  not  bear  it.  She  tried  to  starve  him  to  death  ;  she 
tried  to  knock  his  head  off,  and  burn  him  up  ;  she  bombarded 
the  people's  fort ;  shot  into  the  flag  of  our  \ju/;  eminent,  and 
drove  our  soldiers  from  the  place.  It  was  not  Mr.  Lincoln's 
fort ;  not  his  flag,  nor  his  soldiers,  but  ours.  Yet  after  all 
these  outrages  and  atrocities,  South  Carolina  comes  with 
embraces  for  us,  saying :  '  Well,  we  tried  ;  we  intended  to  kill 
that  brother  Kentuckian  of  yours  ;  tried  to  storm  him,  knock 
his  brains  out,  and  burn  him  up.  Don't  you  love  us  for  it  ? 
Won't  you  fight  with  us,  and  for  us,  and  help  us  overthrow 
your  *  Government  ?'  Was  ever  a  request  so  outrageously 
unnatural ;  so  degrading  to  our  patriotism  ?  And  yet,  Mr. 


OF    THE     WAK.  125 

Speaker,  there  were  those  among  us  who  rejoiced  of  the  result, 
and  termed  the  assault  upon  their  own  fort  and  the  capture  of 
their  own  flag  and  their  own  soldiers,  a  heroic  victory  ! 

"  Mr.  Speaker,  I  am  sick  and  tired  of  all  this  gabble  about 
irritation  over  the  exercise  by  others  of  their  undoubted  right ; 
and  I  say  once  for  all  to  you  secession  gentlemen,  that  we 
Union  men  know  our  rights ;  intend  to  maintain  them.  If 
you  get  irritated  about  it,  why — get  irritated  !  Snuff  and 
snort  yourselves  into  a  rage  ;  go  into  spasms  if  you  will ;  die 
if  you  want  to,  and  can't  stand  it — who  cares  ?  What  right 
have  you  to  get  irritated  because  we  claim  equal  rights  and 
equality  with  you  ?  We  are  for  peace  ;  we  desire  no  war,  and 
deprecate  collision.  All  we  ask  is  peace.  We  don't  intend 
you  any  harm.  We  don't  want  to  hurt  you,  and  don't  intend 
you  shall  injure  us  if  we  can  help  it.  We  beg  of  you  to  let  us 
live  in  peace  under  the  good  old  Government  of  our  fathers. 
We  only  ask  that.  Why  keep  us  ever  on  the  alert  watching 
you,  to  prevent  you  from  enslaving  us  by  a  destruction  of  that 
Government  ? 

*  #  #  u  Kentucky  is  an  armed  neutral,  it  is  said.  I 
submit)  with  others,  to  that  position.  I  hope  that  circum 
stances  may  not  drive  us  from  it.  I  hope  that  our  secession 
friends  will  be,  in  fact,  neutral.  If  we  remain  so,  it  is  said  we 
shall  have  peace.  I  hope  so ;  but  the  neutrality  that  fights 
all  on  one  side  I  do  not  understand.  Troops  leave  Kentucky 
in  broad  daylight,  and  our  Governor  sees  them  going  to  fight 
against  our  own  Government,  }^et  nothing  is  said  or  done  to 
prevent  them.  Is  this  to  be  our  neutrality  ?  If  it  is,  I  am 
utterly  opposed  to  it.  If  we  assume  a  neutral  position,  let  us 
be  neutral  in  fact.  It  is  as  little  as  we  can  do. 

"  Our  Government,  constitutionally  administered,  is  entitled 
to  our  support,  no  matter  who  administers  it.  If  we  will  not 
support  it,  and  yet  enjoy  its  blessings,  in  Heaven's  name  let  us 
not  war  against  it,  nor  allow  our  people  to  do  so.  Let  us  be 
true  to  our  position,  whatever  it  may  be.  We  are  nullifying 
at  any  rate.  Our  Government  has  not  objected  to  it.  But 
who  can  look  an  honest  man  in  the  face,  while  professing 

L2 


126  *  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

neutrality,  refusing  to  help  his  Government  to  preserve  its 
existence,  yet  secretly  and  traitorously  warring  against  it? 
For  one,  sir,  I'll  none  of  it.  Away  with  it.  Let  us  be  men — 
honest  men,  or  pretend  to  be  nothing  but  vagabonds. 

"  I  hear  it  said  that  Kentucky  will  go  out  of  the  Union ; 
that  if  she  goes  anywhere,  she  will  go  South,  &c.,  &c.  Mr. 
Speaker,  let  me  tell  you,  sir,  Kentucky  will  not  '  go  out.'  She 
will  not  stampede.  That  has  been  tried.  Secessionists  must 
invent  something  new  in  the  way  of  secession  appliances  before 
they  can  either  frighten  or  '  drag'  Kentucky  out  of  the  Union. 
I  tell  you  sensation  gentlemen  that  your  exciting  events  have 
ceased  to  effect  us.  Try  something  else.  Get  up  a  fight  at 
Cairo,  that  you  may  get  us  to  side  with  you.  That  is  your 
game,  and  you  will  play  it  whenever  you  think  you  can  succeed 
at  it.  You  tried  to  scare  us,  but  you  failed  in  your  purpose. 
And  if  you  illegally  and  against  right  assault  Cairo,  I  hope 
every  man  of  you  will  get  his  head  knocked  or  be  taken 
prisoner,  and  that  the  Cairo  folks  will  never  permit  you  to 
come  to  Kentucky  again.  That's  what  I  wish,  and  what  I 
believe  would  happen  in  such  an  event 

"  But  we"  won't  *  go  out' — -have  not  the  least  notion  of  it  in 
the  world.  You  must  take  us  out  according  to  law  and  right, 
or  take  us  dead.  Believe  this,  and  act  accordingly.  It  would 
be  better  for  all  of  us.  We  shall  be  but  too  happy  to  keep 
peace,  but  we  cannot  leave  the  Union  of  our  fathers. 

"  When  Kentucky  goes  down,  it  will  be  in  blood.  Let  that 
be  understood.  She  will  not  go  as  other  States  have  gone. 
Let  the  responsibility  rest  on  you,  where  it  belongs.  It  is  all 
your  work,  and  whatever  happens  will  be  your  work.  We 
have  more  right  to  defend  our  Government  than  you  have  to 
overturn  it.  Many  of  us  are  sworn  to  support  it.  Let  our 
good  Union  brethren  of  the  South  stand  their  ground.  I  know 
that  many  patriotic  hearts  in  the  Seceded  States  still  beat 
warmly  for  the  old  Union — the  old  flag.  The  time  will  come 
when  we  shall  all  be  together  again.  The  politicians  are 
having  their  day.  The  people  will  yet  have  theirs.  I  have  an 
abiding  confidence  in  the  right,  and  I  know  that  this  secession 


OF     THE     WAR.  127 

movement  is  all  wrong.  There  is,  in  fact,  not  a  single  substan 
tial  reason  for  it.  If  there  is,  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  it ;  our 
Government  has  never  oppressed  us  with  a  feather's  weight. 
The  direst  oppression  alone  could  justify  what  has  brought  all 
our  present  suffering  upon  us.  May  God,  in  his  mercy,  save 
our  glorious  Kepublic !" 

There  is  in  this  noble  address  the  impassioned  eloquence  of 
the  patriot  and  the  incorruptible  citizen.  In  reading  it  the 
vision  of  Patrick  Henry  rises  up  before  us  as  he  appeared  to 
the  Virginia  House  of  Delegates  when  he  uttered  his  ever- 
memorable  anathema  against  King  George.  It  was  such 
declarations  as  those  which  fell  from  Eosseau's  lips — as  those 
which  fell  from  the  pen  of  the  incorruptible  Joseph  Holt — as 
those  which  the  sage  and  patriot  John  J.  Crittenden  event 
ually  avowed — that  saved  Kentucky  to  the  Union  and  pre 
served  her  hills  and  vallies  from  becoming  the  battle-fields  of 
the  horrid  struggle  to  achieve  the  independence  of  a  Slave 
Dominion, 


GENERAL     SCOTT. 

"  So  long  as  that  man  is  true,  the  nation  is  safe,"  Joseph 
Holt  said  to  a  friend  during  the  "  dark  days"  of  April.  None 
knew  the  weight  of  responsibility  resting  upon  the  veteran's 
shoulders  better  than  the  ex-Secretary  of  War,  and  none  better 
knew  than  he  Scott's  ability  to  discharge  his  trust  Like  Mr. 
Holt,  the  North  reposed  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  General- 
in-Chief,  though  his  rapidly  growing  feebleness  of  body  gave 
great  anxiety  lest  his  strength  should  fail  ere  his  great  work 
was  done. 


128  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

At  an  early  stage  of  the  rebellion,  Scott  was  cautiously 
approached  by  the  emissaries  of  the  rebellion — many  of  whom 
were  his  life-long  friends  and  coadjutors.  His  sturdy  loyalty 
was  his  protection  against  open  proposals  to  desert  his  flag ; 
yet  the  enemy's  anxiety  to  obtain  either  his  acquiescence  to 
the  right  of  secession  and  his  resignation  from  the  Federal 
service,  or  his  active  co-operation  in  the  Southern  scheme  for 
a  Confederacy  of  Slave  States,  led  them  to  hope,  to  the  last, 
that  he  would  not  conduct  the  campaign  against  them.  How 
fallacious  that  hope  was  events  soon  determined.  From  the 
incipient  stages  of  the  treason  the  old  general — comprehending 
its  true  character,  and  having  a  -clearer  knowledge  of  it  than 
the  majority  of  men — had  arranged,  so  far  as  lay  in  his  power, 
to  meet  the  coming  storm ;  and  the  call  for  troops  in  April, 
found  him  at  his  post  in  Washington,  ready  to  assume  their 
command. 

The  country  will  hardly  realise  the  peculiar  position  in 
which  Scott  was  placed.  His  extreme  age  and  bodily  infirmi 
ties  would  have  excused  his  retirement  from  service.  His 
Virginia  parentage,  and  relationship  by  near,  and  life-long 
association  with  leading  Southern  families,  were  powerful 
instruments  to  impel  him  to  retire  from  a  contest  with  these 
friends.  His  close  personal  intimacy  with  officers  who  had 
become  directing  military  leaders  in  the  rebel  cause,  made  a 
campaign  against  them  one  of  extreme  painfdness,  and  might 
very  naturally  have  impelled  his  soul  to  shrink  from  the 
ordeal  of  crushing  those  men  and  bringing  their  necks  to  the 
scaffold. 

But,  as  all  true  greatness  ever  rises  above  adverse  circum 
stances  and  personal  considerations,  so  Scott's  soul  arose  to  the 
claims  of  his  country.  The  very  magnitude  of  the  crisis  was 
the  leading  motive  which,  undoubtedly,  impelled  him  to  retain 
his  leadership — fearing  that,  in  that  hour  of  great  peril,  no 
other  hand  could  do  so  well  as  his  own.  Forgetful  of  all 
social  ties,  of  life-long  associations,  of  the  distasteful  nature  of 
the  imprecations  which  would  be  heaped  upon  his  head,  of  his 
bodily  feebleness  and  need  of  rest,  he  assumed  the  trust  wil- 


OF     THE     WAR.  129 

lingly,  and  essayed  the  herculean  task  of  creating  a  vast  army, 
and  of  placing  it  in  the  field  ready  for  duty.  Mind,  body,  heart, 
and  soul  were  enlisted  in  the  work:  his  personal  comfort, 
happiness,  fame — all  were  cast  aside  in  that  hour  of  duty.  It 
is  a  sublime  spectacle  to  contemplate  :  and,  in  the  future,  when 
the  story  of  the  rebellion  is  written  from  the  stand-point  of 
history,  the  conduct  of  the  man  will  command  the  admiration 
of  all  discriminate  and  dispassionate  minds. 

April  19th  (1861)  it  was  announced  by  telegraph,  to  the 
South  from  Washington,  that  General  Scott  had  resigned  his 
position  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  and  had  tendered  his 
sword  to  his  native  State,  Virginia.  Immense  rejoicing  followed. 
In  Mobile,  for  instance,  one  hundred  guns  were  fired  in  honor  of 
his  defection  to  the  Union  cause  !  So  generally  was  the  report 
credited  throughout  the  Southern  States,  that  John  J.  Critten- 
den,  of  Kentucky,  telegraphed  to  the  General  to  know  the 
truth.  The  reply  was : 

"  /  have  not  changed — have  no  thought  of  changing — always  a 
Union  man  /" 

This  set  at  rest  the  calumny  hatched  to  bolster  up  the 
Southern  cause,  and  to  "  fire  the  Southern  heart."  When  it 
was  thus  announced,  by  authority,  that  he  was  true  to  his  flag 
and  his  oath,  the  Southern  press  opened  its  vile  batteries  of 
abuse  and  defamation  of  the  incorruptible  patriot,  whom  they 
had  but  the  day  before  "  exalted  to  the  seventh  Heaven1'  by 
their  praise.  As  an  evidence  at  once  of  the  depravity  of  the 
Southern  press  and  of  the  malignity  of  the  spirit  which 
animated  the  breasts  of  the  rebels,  we  may  quote  a  few  of  the 
notices  made  of  Scott  by  the  Secessionist  journals. 

The  Richmond  Examiner,  edited  by  John  M.  Daniel —  Mr. 
Buchanan's  Charge  to  one  of  the  leading  cities  of  Southern 
Europe — thus  spoke  : 

"  The  infamy  of  this  man  constitutes  no  small  portion  of  the  crush 
ing  load  of  shame  under  which  Virginia  is  now  struggling.  She  gave 
birth  to  this  unnatural  monster.  She  has  heaped  honors  and  rewards 
upon  this  war  mandarin  of  the  Abolitionists.  That  Scott  was  born  in 
Tirginia  is  a  misfortune  which  cannot  be  remedied;  but  there  are 


130  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

means  by  which  the  State  may  brand  him  with  the  marks  of  her  indig 
nant  scorn.  The  treason  of  Arnold  swallowed  up  and  effaced  all  recol 
lection  of  his  long  deeds  of  valor  and  patriotism,  and  this  name  waa 
blotted  from  the  list  of  our  Revolutionary  Generals.  The  Legislature 
of  Virginia  should  expunge  from  their  journals  every  resolution  expres 
sive  of  Virginia's  confidence,  respect,  and  admiration  for  this  man.  We 
should  offer  to  pay  him  a  pecuniary  consideration  fifty  times  their  value, 
if  necessary,  for  the  medals  and  swords  which  we  gave  him,  when  he 
was  esteemed  a  worthy  and  grateful  son  of  the  Old  Dominion,  and  the 
now  dishonored  name  of  Scott  should  no  longer  be  borne  by  one  of  our 
counties. 

How  fortunate  for  the  old  General's  fame  and  honor  that  he 
did  not  act  so  as  to  win  the  applaudits  of  such  a  man  as  the 
writer  of  the  above  ! 

The  following,  from  the  Eichmond  Whig,  if  more  dignified, 
is  yet  indicative  of  the  disappointment  and  hate  which  rankled 
in  its  editor's  breast : 

The  ancients  had  a  saying,  that  no  man  was  happy  till  his  death. 
The  hero  of  Chippewa  and  Lundy's  Lane  is  a  living  illustration  of  this 
antique  apothegm.  When  all  the  noble  and  chivalrous  spirits  of  the 
Federal  service  were  abandoning  the  flag  which  had  become  the  badge 
of  despotism,  and,  flying  to  the  rescue  of  Liberty  and  their  native  States, 
he,  oblivious  of  every  sense  of  duty  to  his  "  dear  old  mother,"  remained 
with  her  enemies,  to  organize  armies  for  her  invasion  and  desolation. 
It  is  not  worth  while  to  inquire  whether  he  was  prompted  by  vanity, 
avarice,  or  ambition.  He  has  chosen  his  part.  He  must  be  a  parricide, 
or  he  must  betray  the  cause  which  he  has  now  espoused.  He  can  never 
again  put  foot  upon  the  soil  that  gave  him  birth,  except  as  an  invader 
or  a  traitor,  with  a  rope  around  his  neck.  To  any  feeling  mind  would 
not  death  be  a  thousand  times  preferable  to  such  a  fate  ? 

The  New  Orleans  Delta  was  quite  exercised  in  its  peculiar 
way  that  any  Southern  man  should  adhere  to  the  Stripes  and 
Stars.  It  said : 

The  three  greatest  villains  and  traitors  which  the  present  war  has 
produced  are,  beyond  all  doubt,  Governor  Hicks,  of  Maryland,  and 
Generals  Scott  andHarney.  We  place  them  in  the  order  of  their  infamy. 
Hicks  ranks  his  confederates  by  long  odds.  Scott  and  Harney  have 
some  palliation  in  the  fact  of  their  being  mercenaries,  and  in  their  carnaj 
weakness,  etc.,  etc. 


OF     THE     WAK.  131 

And  more  of  the  same  sort  It  afterwards  became  evident 
that  the  Delicts  patriotism  was  of  a  kind  the  goat  on  the  house 
top  betrayed  to  the  lion  on  the  street  below  —  impudent, 
because  of  its  own  distance  from  danger.  When  General 
Butler  took  possession  of  New  Orleans,  the  "leading  journal'' 
hastened  to  write  to  the  Union  General's  acceptance.  It  had 
neither  the  spirit  to  close  its  rooms,  nor  the  courage  to  sauce 
the  lion  then  on  the  house-top. 

As  a  choice  specimen  of  Southern  use  of  the  Billingsgate 
dictionary,  we  may  give  the  following  extract  from  the  Florida 
Sentinel,  of  Tallahassee — the  leading  journal  of  the  Alligator 
State: 

Our  indignation,  contempt,  and  abhorrence  of  this  plebeian  dema 
gogue  [Lincoln]  are  only  equalled  by  what  we  feel  for  his  friend  and 
adviser,  the  traitor  to  the  home  of  his  birth,  "  the  jackass  in  politics, 
and  Jupiter  in  vanity,"  Lieutenant-General  Winfield  Scott.  If  there  be 
not  "  some  chosen  curse,  some  hidden  thunder  in  the  store  of  heaven,"  to 
blast  this  wretch  who  causes  his  country's  ruin,  the  curse  of  unborn  mil 
lions  will  damn  him  to  the  lowest  depths  of  human  degradation. 

It  is  a  relief  to  turn  from  these  disgusting  expressions  of 
malice  and  baseness  to  contemplate  the  old  general  at  his 
labors  to  avert  the  threatened  dangers  to  his  country.  A  cor 
respondent,  who  was  at  the  Capital  early  in  June,  wrote : 

"  We  must  advert  to  a  scene,  now  a  daily  one,  in  one  of  the 
lofty  apartments  of  the  War  Office,  where  General  Scott  passes 
many  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  at  a  time  of  life  when  most 
men  naturally  court  ease,  but  which  the  old  hero  is  now  devot 
ing  to  the  greatest  achievement  of  his  eventful  and  honorable 
career,  the  demonstration  of  the  strength  and  power  of  a  repub 
lican  form  of  government 

"  Enfeebled  in  body,  but  clear-minded  and  vigorous  in  intel 
lect  as  ever,  General  Scott  is  now  cheerfully  undergoing  labors 
that  would  overtax  the  strength  of  many  far  his  juniors  in  life 
and  in  service.  An  early  hour  of  the  day  finds  him  surrounded 
by  aids  and  advisers,  and  not  until  a  late  hour  of  the  night 
does  the  work  cease.  The  bustle  and  din  of  the  city  and  camp 
are  hushed  at  nightfall,  but  not  for  many  hours  later  does  the 


f32  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

headquarters  of  the  Lieutenant-General  lose  its  features  oi 
activity. 

"  The  scene  on  the  day  in  question  was  one  on  which  the 
pencil  of  a  Leutze  would  dwell  lovingly  to  the  production  of  a 
painting  that  should  be  vivid  history.  General  Scott,  suffering 
more  than  usual  by  an  attack  of  gout,  lay  half  reclining  upon 
a  lounge  drawn  into  the  centre  of  the  large  apartment,  his'fe*et 
resting  upon  pillows.  About  the  old  chieftain,  whose  massive 
frame  seemed  more  impressive  from  the  contrast,  were  gathered 
men  in  uniform  of  army  and  navy,  eminent  citizens  in  the 
plain  black  •  civilian's  dress,  with  here  and  there  one  whose 
dress  and  features  told  of  rough  service  on  some  errand,  whose 
results  were  now  to  be  reported  to  the  modification  or  compre 
hensive  plans  of  the  War  Department. 

"  On  the  wall  opposite  the  lounge,  occupied  by  General 
Scott  were  suspended  two  large  military  maps  of  Virginia  and 
Maryland,  with  all  their  careful  details,  closely  representing 
the  country,  its  features,  accesses,  fastnesses  and  approaches.  It 
was  noticeable  that  about  Harper's  Ferry,  Richmond,  and 
Norfolk,  were  drawn  large  circles,  within  which  the  details 
became- more  minute,  with  symbols  and  signs  abundant,  of 
significance  to  military  men,  the  key  to  which  belongs  to  the 
War  Office. 

"  By  General  Scott's  side  lay  a  long,  light  reed,  which  he 
made  use  of  in  pointing  to  different  localities  on  these  maps. 
Aids,  amanuenses,  advisers,  were  all  busy,  quietly,  and  all 
without  stir  or  confusion.  In  that  room,  and  on  such  scenes 
and  consultations  hang  safely  the  fate  of  this  war,  in  the  speedy 
and  condign  punishment  of  traitors.  Probably  no  one  but  the 
hungrier  of  the  Washington  correspondents,  will  regret,  or  fail 
to  applaud  the  wisdom  of  the  War  Department,  or,  indeed,  of 
the  .Government  as  a  whole,  in  only  sparingly  admitting  to 
confidence  the  newspapers  and  the  general  public.  It  is 
enough  to  know  that  the  Government  is  thoroughly  at  work 
in  all  its  departments  for  the  crushing  out  of  treason,  and  that 
General  Scott  is  indeed  a  close  and  voluntary  'prisoner'  to 


OF    THE    WAR.  133 

duties  whose  execution  will  make  the  setting  sun  of  the  old 
hero  illustrious  in  all  time." 

The  gratification  felt  by  all  classes  at  the  General's  devotion 
to  duty  was  expressed  in  the  address  of  leading  citizens  of 
Philadelphia — including  a  number  of  those  who  had  opposed 
the  coercion  of  the  South  up  to  a  late  hour.  This  document, 
so  honorable  to  both  recipient  and  the  signers,  read  : 

"  PHILADELPHIA,  April  30th,  1861. 

11  To  Lieutenant- General  Winfidd  Scott,   General-in-Chief  of  the 
Army  of  the  United  States  : 

"  SIE  :  The  shock  of  a  civil  war  in  our  beloved  country, 
whose  history,  for  more  than  half  a  century,  has  been  illus 
trated,  not  less  by  your  wisdom  and  patriotism  than  the  splen 
dor  of  your  achievements  in  arms,  will,  we  trust,  justify  this 
letter  to  you,  even  though  it  be  a  departure  from  usage. 

"We  are  your  fellow-citizens  of  the  United  States.  We 
are  devotedly  attached  to  our  country.  Her  renown  is  precious 
to  us.  It  is  our  richest  inheritance  ;  and  we  had  fondly  hoped 
to  transmit  it  to  our  children  untarnished,  asrit  came  to  us  from 
our  fathers. 

"  In  the  civil  strife  which  has  just  lighted  up  our  land  with 
an  unnatural  and  deadly  glare,  we  do  not  stop  to  inquire  into 
the  soundness  of  conflicting  opinions  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
deplorable  controversy.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  the 
beloved  and  glorious  flag  of  our  Federal  Union  has  been 
assailed,  and  we  ask  no  further  questions.  In  such  a  crisis, 
we  are  for  sustaining,  to  any  and  every  extent,  the  constituted 
authorities  of  the  Union,  believing,  in  the  language  of  Mr. 
Jefferson,  that  '  the  preservation  of  the  General  Government,  in 
its  whole  constitutional  vigor,  is  the  sheet-anchor  of  our  peace  at 
home  and  safety  abroad.'1  While  the  Government  stands  by  the 
flag,  we  stand  by  the  Government.  In  this  determination  we 
obliterate,  for  the  time  being,  all  traces  of  party  difference  by 
which  many  of  us  have  been  heretofore  widely  separated. 

"  The  citizens  of  Philadelphia — a  city  which,  we  are  sure, 
must  be  endeared  to  your  recollections,  as  it  is  to  ours,  by 
some  of  the  proudest  memories  of  the  era  of  Independence — 
M 


134  INCIDENTS     AND   ANECDOTES 

where  the  Declaration  was  signed — where  the  Constitution 
signed,  and  from  whence  our  illustrious  founder  issued  to  his 
countrymen  his  immortal  farewell  address  —  we  adopt  this 
mode  of  testifying  our  admiration,  and  offering  you  our  deep- 
felt  thanks  for  your  great  services  to  your  country,  in  this  hour 
of  her  extremest  peril — services  which  will  rival  in  immor 
tality,  and,  we  trust,  in  their  triumphant  results,  your  early 
and  subsequent  renown  in  the  second  and  third  great  wars  of 
the  United  States. 

"  At  a  time  like  this,  when  Americans,  distinguished  by  the 
favor  of  their  country,  intrenched  in  power,  and  otherwise  high 
in  influence  and  station,  civil  and  military,  are  renouncing 
their  allegiance  to  the  flag  they  have  sworn  to  support,  it  is  an 
inexpressible  source  of  consolation  and  pride  to  us  to  know 
that  the  General-in-chief  of  the  army  remains  like  an  impreg 
nable  fortress  at  the  post  of  duty  and  glory,  and  that  he  will 
continue  to  the  last  to  uphold  that  flag,  and  f defend  it,  if  neces 
sary,  with  his  sword,  even  if  his  native  State  should  assail  it. 

"  That  your  career  of  rare  distinction  may  be  prolonged  for 
many  years  of  continued  usefulness  to  your  country,  and  hap 
piness  to  yourself,  and  that  you  may  live  to  see  that  great 
country  once  more  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  prosperity  and 
renown  among  nations,  to  which  your  wisdom  in  council  and 
your  sword  in  battle  have  so  largely  contributed,  is  the  anxious, 
earnest  hope  of  those  who  here  unite  in  tendering  to  you,  not 
only  the  assurances  of  their  profound  respect,  but  what  we 
believe  you  will  value  as  highly,  the  spontaneous  tribute  of 
loyal  American  hearts." 

This  admirable  address  was  prepared  by  the  eminent  coun 
sellor,  Horace  Binney.  It  was  signed  by  more  than  two  hun 
dred  names  of  those  whose  endorsement  it  was  an  honor  to 
win.  The  address  was  only  one  of  several  offered  to  the 
old  hero. 

A  sketch  of  the  life  of  the  "  hero  of  an  hundred  battles"  will 
find  admiring  readers  ;  and  we  here  append  one  prepared  by  a 
leading  journalist  immediately  after  his  retirement  from  the 
service,  November  1st,  when  all  was  well  for  the  Union  cause. 


OF     THE     WAR.  135 

Lieutenant-General  Winfield  Scott  is  a  native  of  Virginia, 
having  been  born  in  Petersburg  on  the  13th  of  June,  1786. 
He  is  of  Scottish  descent,  and  it  would  appear,  from  the  records 
of  his  family,  that  his  great  military  abilities  were  inherited, 
the  name  being  a  celebrated  one  in  the  military  annals  of 
Scotland.  At  the  battle  of  Culloden,  in  1746,  so  disastrous  to 
the  last  hopes  of  the  Stuarts,  his  grandfather  played  a  conspicu 
ous  part,  and  his  grand  uncle  was  left  among  the  slain  in  that 
sanguinary  struggle  for  the  British  crown.  It  may,  however, 
be  safely  stated  that  none  of  his  family  ever  rose  to  such  dis 
tinction  in  the  pursuit  of  arms.  His  ancestors'  having  been 
ardent  supporters  of  the  unfortunate  Stuarts,  the  defeat  of  the 
Pretender  at  the  battle  of  Culloden  led  to  their  involuntary 
exile,  as  well  as  that  of  their  royal  leader. 

The  Scott  family,  on  their  arrival  in  the  then  British  colo 
nies,  settled  down  in  Virginia,  where,  as  we  have  already 
stated,  the  future  general  of  the  American  Eepublic  was  born. 
His  preparatory  education  having  been  completed,  he  entered 
William  and  Mary  College,  where  he  devoted  a  couple  of  years 
to  the  study  of  the  higher  branches.  On  leaving  college  he 
entered  the  profession  of  the  law,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  was 
admitted  to  the  bar.  As  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  appeared 
to  the  mind  of  the  young  lawyer  to  present  a  more  fruitful 
field  for  the  successful  practice  of  his  profession,  he  proceeded 
to  that  city  in  the  autumn  of  1807.  Here,  however,  he  was 
not  as  successful  as  he  desired,  and,  having  satisfied  himself 
that  fortune  and  fame  were  slow  to  reward  him  in  this  pursuit, 
he  determined  to  leave  Charleston  and  return  to  the  North. 
It  may,  in  fact,  well  be  doubted,  from  his  subsequent  career, 
whether  the  inclinations  of  young  Scott  qualified  him  for  the 
peculiar  duties  and  labors  of  the  legal  profession.  His  mind 
was  naturally  adapted  to  a  more  active  and  vigorous  life — a 
life  made  up  of  the  dangers  and  perils  of  the  battle-field — a 
life  in  camp  and  field — in  which  only  the  sterner  qualities  of 
the  soldier  could  hope  to  achieve  success. 

Accordingly  he  entered  the  army,  and,  although  his  first 
experience  of  military  life  was  rather  discouraging,  still  he  was 


136  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

determined  to  persevere  in  the  new  career  which  he  had  chosen. 
It  appears  that  in  1809  the  conduct  of  his  superior  officer — 
General  Wilkinson — led  him  to  indulge  in  some  expressions 
which,  though  just,  betrayed  a  want  of  discretion,  which,  viewed 
with  leniency,  might  be  regarded  as  pardonable  in  one  who 
had  just  entered  the  army.  The  rigidity  of  military  discipline 
is  a  stranger  to  the  milder  virtue  of  clemency,  and  after  a  trial 
by  court  martial,  sentence  of  suspension  from  pay  and  service 
for  twelve  months  was  pronoiinced  upon  the  offender.  To  a 
man  not  wedded  to  the  profession  of  arms  this  would  have 
proved  a  discouragement  too  great  to  be  borne  ;  but  Scott  had 
made  his  final  resolution,  and  was  determined  to  persevere 
despite  of  all  obstacles. 

The  twelve  months  for  which  he  was  suspended  were 
devoted  to  unremitting  study  of  military  service,  so  that  on 
the  proclamation  of  war  in  1812,  between  the  United  States 
and  Great  Britain,  there  was  none  better  qualified  to  lead  his 
countrymen  against  the  enemy.  He  was  at  this  time  pro 
moted  to  the  position  of  Lieutenant- Colonel  of  artillery,  and 
he  acquired  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  officers  in 
that  important  department  of  the  army. 

At  the  battle  of  Queenstown  Heights  his  intrepidity  arid 
skill  as  a  commanding  officer  were  for  the  first  time  brought 
out  in  a  most  conspicuous  and  creditable  manner.  The 
engagement  was  one  of  the  most  desperate  recorded  in  the 
annals  of  American  warfare,  and,  although  it  ended  in  the 
defeat  of  the  American  forces,  the  victory  of  the  enemy  was 
dearly  purchased.  Scott,  with  his  surviving  comrades,  was 
captured  and  sent  to  Quebec ;  but  he  was  soon  afterwards 
liberated,  by  an  exchange  of  prisoners.  In  this  battle  his  per 
sonal  daring  and  lofty  stature  rendered  him  a  prominent  mark 
for  the  Indian  sharpshooters,  who,  as  in  the  instance  recorded 
in  the  life  of  Washington,  exerted  their  skill  to  the  utmost, 
but  without  success,  to  bring  him  down.  Failing  in  open, 
manly  conflict  to  destroy  their  fearless  and  intrepid  foe,  they 
had  recourse  to  Indian  cunning  and  treachery  to  carry  out 
their  fell  design.  Gaining  access  to  his  prison,  two  of  them 


OF     THE     WAR.  137 

rushed  upon  Mm,  but  were  foiled  by  the  superior  agility  and 
strength  of  Scott,  as  well  as  by  the  fortunate  interposition  of 
Captain  Coffin,  of  the  British  army,  to  whose  timely  presence 
in  the  hour  of  danger  his  escape  from  his  savage  enemies  was 
partly  attributable. 

The  bravery  of  Scott  was  recognized  in  a  substantial  man 
ner,  after  his  release,  by  his  promotion  to  the  position  of  Adju 
tant-General  and  chief  of  the  staff  under  General  Dearborn, 
who  at  that  time  was  commanding  on  the  Northern  frontier. 
The  justice  of  this  promotion  was  made  manifest  by  his  con 
duct  on  the  capture  of  Fort  George,  at  which  he  was  severely 
wounded  by  a  splinter,  after  performing  prodigies  of  valor. 
At  the  battle  of  Chippewa,  the  credit  of  which  the  commanding 
officer  generously  acknowledged  was  due  to  Soott,  he  added 
another  brilliant  page  to  the  history  of  his  country,  and  ano 
ther  leaf  to  the  chaplet  which  was  one  day  to  adorn  his  brow. 
We  would  not  be  doing  justice  to  his  gallant  conduct  did  we 
fail  to  notice  an  incident  which  occurred  during  that  battle, 
and  which  affords  a  happy  illustration  of  the  indomitable 
character  of  the  man.  As  the  two  armies  approached  to  close 
quarters,  Scott  called  aloud  to  McNeil's  battalion,  "  The  enemy 
say  we  are  good  at  long  shot,  but  cannot  stand  the  cold  iron 
I  call  upon  the  Eleventh  instantly  to  give  the  lie  to  that  slan 
der.  Charge !"  And,  responding  with  an  exultant  hurra, 
they  did  charge,  and  with  a  vengeance.  Sweeping  upon  the 
enemy  with  the  force  of  a  mountain  torrent  swollen  by  autumn 
floods,  they  drove  them  from  the  field,  and  that,  too,  with 
their  own  favorite  weapon,  before  which  it  had  been  the  boast 
of  the  British,  no  foe  was  ever  able  to  stand.  These,  too,  were 
a  portion  of  that  world-renowned  army  of  veterans  with  which 
British  generals  had  expelled  the  French  from  Spain,  and  who, 
it  was  vauntingly  said,  would  drive  the  American  forces  from 
one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other.  The  victory  was  accom 
plished  before  the  American  commander,  General  Brown, 
could  engage  the  enemy  with  his  division.  In  his  report  he 
spoke  as  follows  of  the  heroism  of  the  youthful  General : 

M2  18 


138  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  Brigadier-General  Scott  is  entitled  to  the  highest  praise  our 
country  can  bestow.  His  brigade  covered  itself  with,  glory." 

But  it  was  at  Niagara,  July  28th,  1814,  that  he  even  sur 
passed  himself.  Here  he  was  twice  wounded,  once  by  a  bullet 
through  the  shoulder,  and  the  second  time  by  a  spent  ball. 
Placing  himself  at  the  head  of  his  men,  he  cheered  them  011  to 
the  attack,  and  although  the  British  had  the  advantage  in  the 
strength  of  their  position,  they  gave  way  before  the  terrible 
charge  of  the  Americans  and  fled  in  confusion,  leaving  Scott, 
who  was  the  first  man  to  enter,  in  possession  of  the  fort.  The 
victorious  commander  hauled  down  the  British  colors  with  his 
own  hands  and  amid  the  cheers  of  his  brave  troops. 

These  constant  successes  attracted  to  him  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  country,  who  regarded  with  the  most  enthusiastic  admi 
ration  the  brilliant  career  of  the  young  officer — for  he  had  not 
yet  quite  attained  his  twenty-seventh  year.  On  the  9th  of 
March,  1814,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier-Gene 
ra],  with  the  hearty  approval  of  all  classes  of  his  countrymen. 
For  his  services  at  Chippewa  and  Niagara — commonly  called 
Lundy's  Lane — he  received  the  rank  of  Major-General.  This 
was  not  all.  The  gratitude  of  the  country  could  not  be  easily 
exhausted,  in  view  of  the  great  services  which  he  had  ren 
dered,  and  the  glory  he  had  reflected  on  the  flag.  November 
3d,  1814,  the  National  Legislature  passed  a  resolution  award 
ing  him  a  gold  medal  "  in  testimony  of  the  high  sense  enter 
tained  by  Congress  of  his  distinguished  services  in  the  succes 
sive  conflicts  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara,  and  of  his  uniform 
gallantry  and  good  conduct  in  sustaining  the  high  reputation 
of  the  arms  of  the  United  States." 

When  peace  was  proclaimed  the  position  of  Secretary  of 
War  was  tendered  General  Scott,  in  the  Cabinet  of  President 
Madison,  but  the  offer  was  declined,  as  the  General  was  still 
suffering  from  his  wounds.  He  visited  Europe  soon  after  for 
the  restoration  of  his  health,  having  also  been  entrusted  with 
an  important  diplomatic  mission  by  the  Government,  which 
was  so  successfully  discharged  as  to  elicit  a  letter  of  thanks 
from  the  Secretary  of  State  in  the  name  of  the  President 


OF     THE     WAR.  139 

In  his  career  thus  far  we  have  seen  him  only  as  the  brave 
and  successful  General ;  but  we  are  now  to  view  him  in  ano 
ther  aspect — one  in  which  the  finer  qualities  of  his  nature 
were  brought  out,  if  possible,  in  a  still  stronger  light.  The 
truly  brave  are  always  humane ;  and  never  was  bravery  so 
blended  with  humanity  as  in  the  conduct  of  Scott  while  on  his 
way  with  his  forces  to  put  down  Black  Hawk  and  his  savage 
tribes.  On  his  passage  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago,  with  about  a 
thousand  troops,  in  the  summer  of  1832,  the  cholera  broke  out 
among  his  men  with  such  terrible  violence  that  on  one  vessel, 
on  board  of  which  there  were  two  hundred  and  twenty,  no 
less  than  one  hundred  and  thirty  cases  of  cholera  and  fifty-one 
deaths  occurred  in  six  days.  On  his  arrival  at  the  Mississippi 
river  from  Chicago,  the  same  fearful  pestilence  made  its 
appearance,  making  dreadful  ravages  among  the  troops.  No 
thing  could  exceed  the  kindness  and  delicate  care  with  which 
he  attended  to  the  poor  sufferers,  fearlessly  exposing  himself 
to  the  contagion  in  his  all-absorbing  desire  to  alleviate  the 
misery  and  suffering  by  which  he  was  surrounded. 

The  Black  Hawk  war  having  been  successfully  terminated, 
General  Scott  and  Governor  Eeynolds  were  appointed  Com 
missioners  to  treat  with  the  Northwestern  Indians,  in  reference 
to  all  pending  difficulties.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  this  task, 
which  displayed  the  qualities  of  a  statesman  in  no  ordinary 
degree,  was  as  successfully  discharged  as  the  others  with  which 
he  had  been  entrusted.  The  Indians  ceded  the  title  to  more 
than  ten  millions  of  acres,  forming  the  greater  part  of  the 
present  States  of  Iowa  and  Michigan.  In  the  same  year  (1832), 
by  his  prudence  and  firmness  in  South  Carolina,  which  then 
threatened  the  country  with  all  the  evils  of  civil  war,  by  her 
nullification  principles,  he  saved  the  country  from  rebellion 
and  its  attendant  horrors. 

Next  followed  the  Florida  war,  where  he  added  new  laurels 
to  his  already  historic  fame ;  his  successful  mission  to  the 
Canadian  frontier,  which  was  greatly  excited  by  the  burning 
of  the  Caroline  ;  the  removal  of  the  Cherokees,  which  displayed 
his  energy  and  humanity  in  a  remarkable  degree.  In  1839, 


140  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

by  his  judicious  course  on  the  Northeastern  boundary  diffi 
culty,  he  avoided  a  war  with  England,  which  at  the  time  was 
regarded  as  inevitable. 

But  the  crowning  success  of  all  these  glorious  achievements 
was  his  campaign  in  Mexico,  which,  in  the  brilliancy  of  its 
successes,  the  rapidity  of  its  marches,  and  its  results,  will  bear 
comparison  with  those  of  any  other  campaign  of  ancient  or 
modern  times.  On  the  10th  of  March,  1847,  he  arrived  before 
Yera  Cruz,  and,  on  the  14th  of  September  of  the  same  year, 
having  stormed  the  "  impregnable  castle"  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa, 
and  fought  the  battles  of  Cerro  Gordo,  Contreras,  San  Antonio, 
Cherubusco,  Mplino  del  Eey,  Chepultepec,  besides  lesser 
battles,  and  taken  several  cities,  he  entered  the  City  of  Mexico 
at  the  head  of  six  thousand  men. 

Had  his  advice  and  directions  been  followed,  before  the 
unfortunate  battle  of  Bull  Eun — which  the  veteran  rightly 
styled  a  Congressional  battle — the  backbone  of  the  Southern 
rebellion  would  have  been  broken  ere  this.  But,  unfortu 
nately,  the  cry  of  "  On  to  Richmond"  drowned  the  prudent 
advice  of  the  General,  whose  counsel  would  have  saved  the 
nation  from  a  humiliating  defeat. 

As  a  commander,  Scott  had  but  few  equals  among  his  con 
temporaries,  and  even  his  enemies  bear  willing  testimony  to 
his  great  military  genius.  One  of  the  British  Generals  who 
was  opposed  to  him  in  1812,  speaking  of  his  qualities  in  the 
freedom  of  conversation,  expressed  the  most  unqualified  admi 
ration  of  his  genius  and  skill  as  a  commander.  In  the  opinion 
of  many  he  was  not  second  to  Wellington  himself,  and  there 
is  certainly  no  campaign  in  the  career  of  that  great  General 
which  can  be  said  to  surpass,  if  it  equals,  Scott's  campaign  in 
Mexico.  He  was  the  only  American  General,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  Washington,  who  received  the  title  of  Lieutenant- 
General,  and  this  was  conferred  upon  him  as  the  highest  testi 
monial  which  could  be  bestowed  by  a  grateful  country. 

His  retirement  from  the  high  position  which  he  has  occupied 
so  many  years,  with  honor  and  distinction  to  himself  and 
advantage  to  the  interests  of  the  nation,  was  an  event  well  cal- 


OF     THE     W  A  K .  141 

dilated  to  arrest  attention  at  home  and  abroad,  for  it  may  be 
said  with  truth,  that  the  principal  events  in  the  last  fifty  years 
of  his  life  would,  to  a  great  extent,  embrace  the  most  promi 
nent  and  important  facts  in  the  history  of  the  country.  Al 
though  he  has  never  been  honored  with  the  highest  office  in 
the  gift  of  the  people,  no  man  has  occupied  a  more  distin 
guished  and  exalted  position,  and  none  of  his  contemporaries 
will  fill  a  larger  space  in  the  future  annals  Of  the  Great  Eepub- 
lic.  His  withdrawal  from  the  active  duties  of  official  life,  and 
his.  generous  resignation  of  his  command  into  the  hands  of  a 
General  so  much  his  junior,  indicate  a  self-abnegation  which 
proves  the  truth  of  the  time -honored  adage,  that  he  only  who 
can  command  himself  is  truly  qualified  to  govern  others. 


XIII. 


McCLELLAN'S     FIRST     CAMPAIGN. 

THE  appointment  of  Captain  McClellan  to  the  responsible 
position  of  Major-General  of  the  Volunteers  of  the  State  of 
Ohio  (April  24th,  1861),  was  soon  followed  by  the  General 
Government's  creation  of  the  "Department  of  the  West,"  over 
which  he  was  placed  in  superior  command.  It  comprised  the 
States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Western  Pennsylvania,  and 
Western  Virginia, 

The  proposed  assemblage  (June  14th)  of  the  Wheeling  Con 
vention,  for  re-organizing  the  State  of  Virginia  as  a  State  of 
the  Union,  rendered  it  necessary  to  arrange  a  campaign  in 
Western  Virginia,  both  to  expel  the  rebel  armies  from  that 
section,  and  to  give  stability  to  the  new  State  Government. 


1-42  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

The  promulgation  by  McClellan  (May  26th)  of  the  following 
proclamation  announced  the  movements  on  foot : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OP  OHIO,  ) 
CINCINNATI,  May  26th,  1861.  ) 

"  To  the  Union  Men  of  Western  Virginia : 

"  VIRGINIANS  : — The  General  Government  has  long  enough  endured 
the  machinations  of  a  few  factious  rebels  in  your  midst.  Armed  traitors 
have  in  vain  endeavored  to  deter  you  from  expressing  your  loyalty  at 
the  polls.  Having  failed  in  this  infamous  attempt  to  deprive  you  of  the 
exercise  of  your  dearest  rights,  they  now  seek  to  inaugurate  a  reign  of 
terror,  and  thus  force  you  to  yield  to  their  schemes,  and  submit  to  the 
yoke  of  the  traitorous  conspiracy,  dignified  by  the  name  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy.  They  are  destroying  the  property  of  citizens  of  your  State, 
and  ruining  your  magnificent  railways.  The  General  Government  has 
heretofore  carefully  abstained  from  sending  troops  across  the  Ohio,  or 
even  from  posting  them  along  its  banks,  although  frequently  urged  by 
many  of  your  prominent  citizens  to  do  so. 

"  It  determined  to  await  the  result  of  the  State  election,  desirous  that 
no  one  might  be  able  to  say,  that  the  slightest  effort  had  been  made 
from  this  side  to  influence  the  free  expression  of  your  opinions,  although 
the  many  agencies  brought  to  bear  upon  you  by  the  rebels  were  well 
known.  You  have  now  shown,  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances, 
that  the  great  mass  of  the  people  of  Western  Virginia  are  true  and  loyal 
to  that  beneficent  Government  under  which  we  and  our  fathers  have 
lived  so  long.  As  soon  as  the  result  of  the  election  was  known,  the 
traitors  commenced  their  work  of  destruction.  The  General  Govern 
ment  can  not  close  its  ears  to  the  demand  you  have  made  for  assistance. 
I  have  ordered  troops  to  cross  the  river.  They  come  as  your  friends 
and  brothers ;  as  enemies  only  to  armed  rebels  who  are  preying  upon 
you.  Your  homes,  your  families,  and  your  property  are  safe  under  our 
protection.  All  your  rights  shall  be  religiously  respected. 

"  Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  by  the  traitors  to  induce 
you  to  believe  our  advent  among  you  will  be  signalized  by  an  interfer 
ence  with  your  slaves,  understand  one  thing  clearly  :  Not  only  will  we 
abstain  from  all  such  interference,  but  we  will,  on  the  contrary,  with  an 
iron  hand,  crush  any  attempt  at  insurrection  on  their  part. 

"  Now  that  we  are  in  your  midst,  I  call  upon  you  to  fly  to  arms  and 
support  the  General  Government ;  sever  the  connection  that  binds  you 
to  traitors ;  proclaim  to  the  world  that  the  faith  and  loyalty  so  long 
boasted  by  the  Old  Dominion  are  still  preserved  in  Western  Virginia, 
and  that  you  remain  true  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

"  G.  B.  McCLELLAN,  Major-General  Commanding." 


OF     THE     WAR.  143 

This  document  gave  the  proper  reasons  for  the  contemplated 
movement  To  his  troops,  then  cantoned  in  Eastern  Ohio,  he 
addressed  a  stirring  address,  well  calculated  to  win  the  confi 
dence  of  the  people  among  whom  they  were  to  move.  It 
read: 

"  SOLDIEKS  : — You  are  ordered  to  cross  the  frontier,  and  to  enter  on 
the  soil  of  Virginia.  Your  mission  is  to  restore  peace  and  confidence  ; 
to  protect  the  majesty  of  the  law,  and  to  secure  our  brethren  from  the 
grasp  of  armed  traitors.  I  place  under  the  safeguard  of  your  honor  the 
persons  and  property  of  the  Virginians.  I  know  you  will  respect  their 
feelings  and  all  their  rights,  and  will  preserve  the  strictest  discipline. 

"  Remember,  that  each  one  of  you  holds  in  his  keeping  the  honor  of 
Ohio  and  the  Union.  If  you  are  called  to  overcome  armed  opposition, 
I  know  your  courage  is  equal  to  the  task.  Eemember  that  your  only 
foes  are  armed  traitors.  Show  mercy  even  to  them,  when  in  your  power, 
for  many  of  them  are  misguided. 

"  When,  under  your  protection,  the  loyal  men  of  Western  Virginia 
have  been  enabled  to  organize  and  form  until  they  can  protect  them 
selves,  you  can  return  to  your  homes,  with  the  proud  satisfaction  of 
having  preserved  a  gallant  people  from  destruction." 

Prior  to  the  issue  of  these  documents,  everything  had  been 
arranged  for  the  advance.  Colonel  Kelly,  in  commaDd  at 
Camp  Carlisle,  in  Ohio,  opposite  Wheeling,  gave  the  word  of 
command  for  *the  onward  movement,  Sunday  evening,  (May 
26th),  by  reading  the  Proclamation  and  Address. 

The  announcement  was  received  with  wild  huzzas  by  the 
troops,  the  First  Virginia  Volunteers.  Monday  morning  they 
poured  over  into  Virginia  eleven  hundred  strong,  and,  at  seven 
o'clock,  were  en  route  for  Grafton,  a  place  of  some  strategic 
importance,  lying  at  the  junction  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
and  the  Northwestern  Virginia  railways.  The  First  Virginia 
was  followed  immediately  by  the  Sixteenth  Ohio  Volunteers, 
Colonel  Irvine.  The  Fourteenth  Ohio,  Colonel  Steadman, 
crossed  the  river  at  Marietta,  and  occupied  Parkersburg,  the 
western  terminus  of  the  Northwestern  railroad. 

The  rebels,  then  in  possession  of  Grafton,  designed  a  descent 
on  Wheeling ;  but,  hastily  evacuated  on  the  night  of  Mon 
day,  having  previously  destroyed  railway  bridges  at  varioue 


14-1  INCIDENTS     AND   ANECDOTES 

points  to  the  west  of  Grafton.  The  Federal  forces  did  not  fully 
occupy  the  place  until  Thursday  morning,  when  the  two  regi 
ments,  with  all  their  baggage  and  trains,  took  possession.  The 
rebels  withdrew  to  Phillippi,  where  they  resolved  to  make  a 
stand.  The  Federal  advance  was  soon  .joined  by  the  Fifteenth 
Ohio,  and  the  Sixth  Indiana,  Colonel  Crittenden,  regiments, 
the  Seventh  Indiana,  Colonel  Dumont,  while  the  forces  landed 
at  Parkersburg  had  pushed  up  the  railroad  to  a  conjunction. 
The  attack  on  Phillippi  was  not  delayed — McClellan  having 
ordered  the  enemy  to  be  surprised  by  a  forced  march.  On 
the  night  of  June  2d,  the  Federal  forces  (four  regiments) 
started  for  the  point  of  attack  by  two  routes — one  division  by 
way  of  Webster,  under  command  of  Colonel  Dumont,  con 
sisted  of  eight  companies  of  the  Seventh  Indiana ;  four  com 
panies  of  the  Fourth  Ohio,  Colonel  Steadman,  with  his  artillery, 
under  command  of  Lieutenant- Colonel  Sturgis,  assisted  and 
directed  by  Colonel  Lander ;  four  companies  of  the  Sixth 
Indiana,  Colonel  Crittenden.  The  other  division  consisted  of 
the  First  Virginia,  and  companies  from  the  Sixteenth  Ohio  and 
Seventh  Indiana  regiments,  under  command  of  Colonel  Kelly, 
which  moved  east,  by  way  of  Thornton,  thence  south  to  Phil 
lippi  (twenty-two  miles)  by  a  forced  march.  The  darkness  was 
intense,  the  mud  deep,  and  the  storm  of  wind  and  rain  unceas 
ing.  The  division  of  Kelly  did  not  reach  the  enemy's  position 
at  four  o'clock — the  time  indicated  for  the  conjunction  and 
combined  attack — owing  to  the  dreadful  fatigues  of  the  march. 
His  forces  were  to  strike  the  enemy's  rear,  and  while  Colonels 
Dumont  and  Lander  pressed  the  front,  to  cut  off  the  retreat, 
and  thus  "  bag"  the  entire  rebel  force.  Dumont  arrived  at  the 
appointed  time,  and  disposed  his  forces  for  battle.  It  soon 
became  evident  that  the  rebels  had  discovered  the  movements 
of  their  foe,  and  were  preparing  to  run.  Lander  not  deeming 
it  prudent  longer  to  await  Colonel  Kelly's  appearance,  ordered 
the  artillery  to  open.  The  Associate  Press  account  of  the 
fight  read : 

Simultaneously  with  the  roar  of  the  first  gun,  Colonel  Kelly, 
at  the  head  of  his  command,  came  in  sight  across  the  river 


OF    THE    WAR.  145 

below  the  camp,  and,  comprehending  the  position  of  affairs,  he 
rushed  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  camp.  Meanwhile  the 
battery,  having  got  accurate  range,  played  upon  the  camp  with 
marked  effect,  tearing  through  the  tents  and  houses  at  a  fearful 
rate.  This  the  chivalry  could  not  stand,  and  they  scattered 
like  rats  from  a  burning  barn,  after  firing  at  random  a  volley 
which  did  no  damage. 

Colonel  Kelly's  command  was  close  after  them,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  Colonel  Lander's  force  came  rushing  down  the  hill 
yelling  like  Indians.  After  chasing  them  a  few  miles,  the 
already  "exhausted  men  returned  to  the  evacuated  camp,  to 
learn  the  painful  fact  that  their  victory,  though  complete,  was 
dearly  bought.  Colonel  Kelly,  who,  with  bravery  amounting 
to  rashness,  was  foremost  from  first  to  last,  was  rallying  his 
men  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town,  the  enemy  having  all 
apparently  fled,  when  he  fell  by  a  shot  from  a  concealed  foe. 
The  assassin  was  an  Assistant- Quartermaster  in  the  Confederate 
force,  named  Sims.  He  was  immediately  seized. 

A  correspondent  who  was  present  thus  referred  to  Colonel 
Lander's  ride  down  the  hill  on  which  the  artillery  was  posted, 
and  his  subsequent  achievement : 

"  The  hill  on  which  the  artillery  was  planted  is  both  high 
and  steep,  and  it  would  be  dangerous  for  an  inexperienced 
rider  to  walk  a  horse  down  the  slope  toward  the  pike.  Seeing 
Dumont's  right  rushing  for  the  bridge,  closely  followed  by  the 
Ohio  Fourteenth,  (Colonel  Steadman,)  and  supposing  the  pas 
sage  of  tlie  bridge  would  be  disputed,  he  grasped  a  revolver 
in  each  hand,  plunged  spurs  into  the  flanks  of  his  horse,  and 
dashed  down  the  hill,  over  fences,  and  stumps,  and  stones,  and 
dead  timber,  through  a  wheat  field,  to  the  pike,  and  swept 
past  the  column  like  the  wind,  looking  (as  one  who  saw  him 
says)  more  like  a  demon  than  a  man.  Colonel  Steadman,  in 
the  excitement  of  the  moment,  had  advanced  some  three  hun 
dred  yards  ahead  of  his  command  as  Lander  passed.  'Go 
back,  Colonel  Steadman — go  back  to  your  column,'  said  he, 
'  or  you  will  be  cut  off !'  forgetting  that  he  was  exposed  to  the 
same  danger. 

M  19 


146  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  By  this  time  Colonel  Kelly  had  arrived  and.  attacked  the 
rear  of  the  rebels.  Colonel  Lander  now  rode  alone  across  the 
town  to  join  Kelly,  but  just  after  he  had  passed  Kelly,  a 
rebel  brought  Kelly  down  by  a  shot  through  the  lungs. 
Lander  at  once  charged  among  the  enemy  and  chased  the  rebel 
into  an  angle  of  a  fence,  where  he  guarded  him  until  the 
infantry  came  up.  An  unsuccessful  charge  was  made  by  a 
few  of  the  rebels  to  rescue  the  prisoner.  On  Kelly's  men 
arriving  they  were  determined  to  bayonet  the  prisoner,  but 
were  prevented  by  Colonel  Lander,  against  their  urgent  remon 
strances.  The  Quartermaster  of  the  Virginia  regiment  took 
charge  of  him,  becoming  responsible  for  his  safety.  Colonel 
Lander  maintained  that  the  man  had  thrown  down  his  arms 
and  yielded  himself  to  him  as  a  prisoner  of  war ;  that  if  he 
had  killed  Kelly  he  would  have  done  it  in  actual  fight,  and 
after  our  troops  had  commenced  the  engagement,  and  that  he 
should  protect  him  with  his  life." 

The  enemy  retreated,  with  a  loss  of  all  his  baggage,  tents, 
&c.,  to  Beverly,  finally  taking  up  position  on  Laurel  Hill, 
which  he  proceeded  to  fortify.  The  campaign  which  followed 
was  thus  chronicled  by  one  who  participated  in  it : 

"  The  rebel  forces,  after  the  battle  of  Philippi,  lay  at  Laurel 
Hill,  near  Beverly,  in  a  strong  position,  which  commanded 
our  road  to  the  southern  portion  of  the  State,  and  in  which 
they  had  fortified  themselves  with  great  labor  and  care.  From 
this  point  they  had  repeatedly  threatened  us  with  attack,  and 
our  officers  felt  very  eager  to  repeat  the  action  by  which  the 
campaign  had  been  so  successfully  opened  at  Philippi.  A 
plan  was  formed,  therefore,  to  move  down  from  our  head 
quarters  at  Grafton  and  capture  or  destroy  the  enemy.  The 
fortifications  at  Laurel  Hill  had,  however,  greatly  strengthened 
a  position  of  the  most  advantageous  kind,  and  the  attack  was 
not  to  be  lightly  undertaken. 

"  On  the  side  of  the  Laurel  Mountain  lies  a  fine,  broad  and 
cleared  plateau,  which  afforded  ample  room  for  an  encamp 
ment  and  a  parade-ground  in  the  rear.  The  slopes  in  front 
down  to  the  valley  were  fortified  with  a  more  extended 


OF     THE     WAR.  147 

of  intrenchments,  which  our  men  are  now  engaged  in  destroy 
ing,  and  which  were  so  complete  as  almost  to  defy  a  direct 
attack  by  any  force  at  our  command.  It  was  resolved,  there 
fore,  to  combine  with  the  direct  assault  a  movement  in  the 
enemy's  rear,  for  which  the  shape  of  the  country  afforded  pecu 
liar  facilities.  Stretching  away,  north-east  and  south-west,  lay 
the  western  range  of  the  Alleghanies,  impassable  without  great 
difficulty  for  an  army,  and  even  then  passable  only  at  certain 
points.  At  the  foot  of  the  mountain  was  the  main  road,  which 
gives  access  to  Southern  Virginia  on  this  western  slope  of  the 
range.  By  this  route  alone  could  the  enemy  receive  reen- 
forcements  or  supplies,  and  this  fact  determined  the  scheme  of 
operations.  To  occupy  his  attention  by  a  direct  attack  in 
front,  while  another  body  of  our  forces  should  go  around  into 
his  rear,-  and  cut  off  communication  with  his  base,  would  place 
him  at  our  mercy,  and  enable  us  to  assail  him  in  his  intrench 
ments  with  an  overpowering  force,  and  in  both  directions  at 
once,  or  else  to  starve  him  out,  should  it  be  deemed  best  not 
to  conclude  the  affair  by  a  direct  engagement. 

"  The  plan  thus  formed  was  executed  by  the  two  divisions 
of  General  McClellan's  army.  The  main  body  of  ten  thou 
sand,  led  by  himself,  went  round  by  Clarksburg  and  Buck- 
hannon,  on  the  west  of  the  enemy ;  while  the  other  and  smaller 
division  of  four  thousand,  under  General  Morris,  made  the 
direct  attack,  which  was  to  hold  the  rebels  in  check  on  the 
north,  and  occupy  them  while  the  former  force  should  be  get 
ting  into  their  rear. 

"  General  McClellan,  after  a  sharp  skirmish  at  Buckhannon, 
approached  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  which,  however,  he  found 
strongly  fortified  at  Rich  Mountain,  and  defended  by  a  force 
of  some  two  or  three  thousand  under  Colonel  Pegram.  Send 
ing  General  Rosecrans  with  a  force  of  some  three  thousand  to 
assail  them  in  the  rear,  while  he  was  himself  to  attack  them  in 
front,  he  hoped  to  capture  the  enemy  entirely  ;  but  some  want 
of  co-operation  took  place,  which  interfered  with  the  complete 
ness  of  the  result.  General  Rosecrans  reached  the  rear  of  the 
mountains,  which  was  held  by  some  three  hundred  rebels, 


148  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

but  did  not  succeed  in  communicating  to  General  McClellan 
the  information  that  he  was  ready  to  attack,  and  the  command 
of  McClellan  lay  inactive  for  many  hours,  waiting  for  this 
intelligence.  Hence,  though  the  attack  of  Eosecrans  was 
entirely  successful  upon  the  small  force  before  him,  Colonel 
Pegram  took  the  alarm,  and  silently  moved  off  with  his  main 
body  to  join  Garnett  at  Laurel  Hill.  He  found  it  impossible, 
however,  to  do  so,  and  after  lying  in  the  woods  for  two  days, 
utterly  destitute  of  provisions,  was  obliged  to  surrender  with 
all  those  of  his  troops  who  had  not  succeeded  in  getting  away. 
This  successful  move  captured  or  killed  about  one  thousand  or 
perhaps  twelve  hundred  rebels. 

"  Meanwhile,  the  division  of  General  Morris  was  cautiously 
making  its  way  down  upon  the  enemy  from  Grafton  and  Phi- 
lippi.  The  command  of  the  advance  brigade  was  given  by 
General  Morris  to  his  chief  engineer  officer,  Captain  Benliam, 
of  the  United  States  Topographical  Engineers,  an  officer  of 
great  experience  and  skill,  whose  -judgment  had  before  been 
tested  by  the  conduct  of  several  difficult  operations.  Captain 
Benham  had  thoroughly  explored  and  mapped  the  country, 
and  his  accurate  delineations  of  the  topography  had  given 
essential  aid  in  the  planning  of  the  expedition.  When  General 
McClellan's  order  was  received  to  march  upon  Laurel  Hill, 
Captain  Benham  arranged  the  plan  of  the  march,  and  started 
at  two  A.  M.  on  the  7th  of  July.  By  skillfully  availing  him 
self  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  country,  he  avoided  the  neces 
sity  of  thrice  fording  a  stream,  as  had  been  supposed  necessary 
by  the  commanding  General,  in  order  to  avoid  denies  where 
effective  resistance  might  be  offered ;  and  thus  brought  the 
army  to  its  designated  position  some  two  hours  earlier  than 
would  have  been  possible  otherwise,  to  the  complete  surprise 
of  the  enemy.  Here  a  position  was  chosen  at  Beelington,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  from  Laurel  Hill,  and  within 
rifle-shot  of  the  enemy's  intrenchments  ;  and,  notwithstanding 
repeated  attacks  and  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  it  was  success 
fully  fortified  and  held  till  the  approach  of  the  other  column. 

"  Upon  the  overthrow  of  Colonel  Pegram  at  Kich  Moun- 


OF     THE     WAR.  149 

tain,  General  Garnett,  the  rebel  commander,  began  to  under 
stand  the  extent  of  his  danger,  and  made  haste  to  extricate 
himself  from  a  position  in  which  he  could  no  longer  fight  with 
advantage,  nor  even  retreat  with  success.  He  left  his  intrench- 
ments,  and  moved  at  once  south  toward  Beverly,  hoping,  by 
great  expedition,  to  reach  that  place  before  General  McClellan 
should  arrive.  But  by  the  time  he  had  got  within  a  few  miles 
of  it  the  fugitives  from  Pegram's  corps  informed  him  that  the 
effort  was  hopeless.  Beverly  was  occupied  in  for,ce  by  the 
Union  troops.  His  only  remaining  resource  was  to  turn  upon 
his  steps,  and  retrace  his  path  to  Leedsville,  where  another 
turnpike  read  branched  off  to  the  north-east,  on  the  other  side 
of  Laurel  Mountain.  Pursuing  this  route  with  all  speed,  he 
passed  Leedsville  the  same  afternoon,  and  pressed  on  along  the 
base  of  the  mountains  down  the  Cheat  Eiver,  hoping  to  find 
some  practicable  path  across  the  mountains  into  the  valley  of 
Virginia.  Throwing  away,  therefore,  all  superfluous  baggage, 
he  fled  rapidly,  and  soon  turned  off  from  the  main  road  into 
a  narrow  path  along  the  mountains,  in  which  pursuit  might  be 
more  easily  obstructed.  Here  he  closed  the  narrow  path  after 
him,  and  filled  every  defile  through  which  he  passed,  by  fell 
ing  the  largest  trees  into  and  across  it. 

"  His  flight,  however,  which  took  place  on  Thursday  even 
ing,  was  ascertained  on  Friday  morning  by  some  of  our  men 
at  Laurel  Hill ;  and,  on  "word  being  sent  to  General  Morris,  he 
gave  immediate  orders  for  pursuit,  though  his  force  was  greatly 
inferior  to  that  of  the  enemy.  Following  with  the  somewhat 
larger  portion  himself,  he  sent  Captain  Benham  forward  with 
the  advance  division,  giving  him  orders  to  press  forward  after 
the  rebels  as  far  as  Leedsville,  secure  the  ford  at  that  place, 
and  await  his  arrival.  Captain  Benham  set  out  instantly,  at 
first  with  caution,  for  it  might  be  only  a  feint  to  draw  us  on 
into  an  attack  ;  but,  on  reaching  the  intrenchments,  they  were 
found  entirely  deserted,  and  the  Captain  had  the  pleasure  to 
be  the  first  officer  within  the  abandoned  works.  The  com 
mand  pressed  on  to  Leedsville  and  there  halted,  according  to 
orders.  This  order  to  halt  was  unfortunate;  had  Captain 
N2 


150  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Benham  been  authorized  to  advance  further,  a  more  effectual 
pursuit  might  have  been  made ;  but,  held  back  by  positive 
directions,  he  was  compelled  to  wait — his  men  under  arms  and 
ready  to  resume  the  pursuit — till  General  Morris  arrived  at  ten 
p.  M.  It  was  then  too  late  to  move  till  morning ;  the  men 
must  have  some  rest ;  and  they  were  allowed  a  brief  slumber 
of  three  hours,  from  eleven  in  the  evening  till  two  A.  M.,  when 
the  pursuit  was  eagerly  resumed. 

"  The  pursuit  was  a  memorable  one.  Captain  Benham  led, 
with  one  thousand  eight  hundred  men,  composed  of  Ohio  and 
Indiana  troops.  General  Morris  followed  with  the  rear.  Up 
and  down  the  mountains,  through  denies,  and  over  rugged 
ridges,  everywhere  impeded  by  the  obstructions  thrown  in  the 
way  by  the  flying  enemy — the  pursuit  was  pressed  with  an 
ardor  which  was  not  to  be  repressed.  Many  men  fell  behind, 
exhausted  with  hunger  and  exertion. 

"  At  length,  after  crossing  one  of  the  branches  of  Cheat 
River,  we  saw  before  us  the  provision-train  of  the  rebels  at  rest ; 
but  a  foolish  boy  firing  his  musket  set  it  in  motion  again  in 
full  retreat,  and  brought  out  two  heavy  regiments  to  protect  it, 
before  our  first  regiment  could  reach  the  ford.  This  caused  a 
further  pursuit  of  three  or  four  miles,  when  the  train  was  again 
overtaken  half  across  the  stream ;  and  here  General  Garnett 
made  a  vigorous  stand  for  its  defense. 

"  The  locality  afforded  a  fine  position  to  repel  our  assault. 
Cheat  River,  in  one  of  its  numerous  bends,  winds  here  round  a 
bluff  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet  high,  the  lower  portion  of  which  is 
covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  laurel,  through  which  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  penetrate.  On  the  top  of  this  bluff  he 
placed  his  cannon,  which  swept  our  approach  to  the  ford ; 
while  his  troops  were  drawn  up  in  line — some  two  thousand  in 
number — on  either  side  of  their  guns,  in  a  line  some  four 
hundred  feet  in  length,  with  the  remainder  of  his  force  within 
a  mile.  They  were  well  protected  from  our  fire  by  a  fence, 
which  showed  only  their  heads  above  it,  and  by  numerous 
trees  which  afforded  them  cover. 

"  On  coming  up,  Colonel  Dumont's  men,  the  Seventh  Indi- 


OF     THE     WAR.  151 

ana  regiment,  pressed  into  the  stream,  crossed  it,  and  attempted 
to  scale  the  bluff  in  front,  in  face  of  the  enemy's  fi:  e  of  mus 
ketry  and  artillery,  but  the  steepness  of  the  ascent  rendered  it 
impossible.  When  Captain  Benham  came  up  he  found  the 
men  climbing  the  steep  ascent  almost  on  their  faces ;  and,  see 
ing  the  difficulty  of  success,  he  ordered  them  down  again  into 
the  stream.  On  our  right  was  a  depression  in  the  bluff,  just 
where  a  ravine  came  down  to  the  river,  and  he  directed  them 
to  try  the  ascent  there.  They  did  so,  but  found  the  way  so 
steep,  and  so  obstructed  by  the  dense  cedar  roots,  that  they 
soon  found  this,  too,  impossible.  Captain  Benham  then  ordered 
the  regiment  to  cross  the  stream,  and,  keeping  in  its  bed, 
immediately  under  the  bluff,  to  pass  down  it  to  our  left,  where 
they  could  gain  the  road.  This  happy  manoeuvre  was  imme 
diately  executed.  The  men  passed  down  the  whole  front  of 
the  enemy,  protected  so  effectually  by  the  steepness  of  the  bank 
from  his  fire,  that  they  emerged  on  the  right  of  the  rebels 
without  losing  a  man ;  and,  as  the  head  of  the  column  showed 
itself  on  their  flank,  the  rebels  fled,  leaving  one  of  their  guns, 
and  a  number  of  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners  in  our  hands. 
"  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance,  the  river  makes 
another  turn,  and  here  the  enemy  again  attempted  a  stand. 
General  Garnett  himself  bravely  stood,  and  tried  to  gather  his 
men  around  him,  but  in  vain.  He  then  begged  for  thirty 
skirmishers  to  go  back  with  him  and  pick  off  our  officers — as 
we  were  informed  by  our  prisoners  subsequently.  A  few  did 
return  with  him  to  the  bank  of  the  stream ;  but,  as  we  came 
up,  they  fired  a  volley  and  again  fled,  and  left  him  with  only 
a  single  companion.  Our  men  ran  forward  to  the  bank  of  the 
stream,  where  a  group  of  three  cedars  gave  them  a  slight  cover, 
and  fired  upon  the  fugitives.  General  Garnett  was  standing 
with  his  back  to  us,  trying  in  vain  to  rally  his  men,  when  he 
received  a  Minie  ball  just  on  the  left  of  the  spine.  It  made  a 
terrible  wound,  piercing  the  heart  and  coming  out  at  the  right 
nipple,  and  the  poor  General  threw  up  his  arms,  and  with  his 
single  companion  fell  dead.  Our  men  passed  over,  and  find 
ing  by  the  straps  on  his  shoulder  that  he  was  an  officer  of  rank, 


152  INC  I'D  EN  T^    AND     ANECDOTES 

sent  word  back  immediately  to  the  commanding  officer.  Cap 
tain  Benham  was  still  at  the  bluff,  caring  for  the  wounded  and 
directing  the  removal  of  the  cannon,  but,  on  receiving  the 
news,  he  at  once  rode  forward  to  the  spot,  and  himself  first 
identified  the  body  as  that  of  General  Garnett,  late  Major 
Garnett,  U.  S.  A. 

"  The  body,  which  had  remained  undisturbed,  was  carried, 
by  Captain  Benham's  order,  into  a  small  log-house,  where  the 
General's  money* was  taken  from  his  pockets  and  counted,  and, 
with  his  watch  and  sword,  preserved  for  his  family  ;  his  field- 
telescope,  an  elegant  opera-glass,  a  large  map  of  Virginia,  and 
some  small  sketches  of  our  own  positions  near  Grafton,  became 
the  legitimate  trophies  of  the  conqueror." 

The  enemy  was  utterly  broken — hopelessly  defeated.  Not 
more  than  two  thousand  of  the  five  thousand  with  which  Gar 
nett  had  commenced  his  flight,  escaped ;  and  these  were  in 
such  a  disorganized  condition  as  to  be  unavailable.  Parties 
of  them  kept  coming  in  to  the  Union  camps  for  several  days. 
They  were  well  received  and  humanely  cared  for— hungry  and 
almost  naked,  as  they  were  in  most  instances.  After  recruiting 
them,  the  lenient  policy  was  adopted  of  administering  the  oath 
of  allegiance,  or  of  a  release  on  parole.  Of  course,  men  base 
enough  to  take  up  arms  against  their  country  scorned  oaths 
and  paroles ;  and  those  scoundrels,  almost  withoxit  exception, 
were  soon  in  the  ranks  of  the  Confederates.  The  Union  Gen 
erals  were  long  in  discovering  that  the  best  way  to  serve  a 
rebel  was  to  place  him  where  his  honor  or  oath  were  not  to  be 
called  into  requisition. 

This  infamous  disregard  of  oaths  and  honor  was  happily 
illustrated  in  the  sarcasm  of  a  Captain  in  one  of  the  Ohio  regi 
ments.  A  rattlesnake  was  caught  alive  on  the  mountains  and 
brought  into  camp.  After  tiring  of  its  presence,  its  captor 
asked  the  Captain  what  he  should  do  with  the  reptile.  "  Oh, 
swear  him  and  let  him  go  !"  was  the  curt  reply. 

With  the  destruction  of  Garnett's  army  Western  Virginia 
was  left  to  pursue  its  course  of  reorganization.  The  Wheeling 
Convention  labored  zealously  and  patriotically,  heartily  en- 


OF     THE     WAR.  153 

dorsed  in  their  efforts  by  the  vast  majority  of  people  in  the 
thirty  counties  west  of  the  Blue  Eidge  Mountains.  The  new 
State  soon  came  up  like  a  Phoenix,  and  with  Governor  Pierre- 
pont  at  its  head,  became  the  recognized  State  of  Virginia. 
Such  were  the  fruits  of  McClellan's  first  campaign. 


THE     FIRST     DISASTER. 

THE  first  real  disaster  which  fell  upon  the  Union  arms  oc 
curred  at  Big  Bethel,  on  York  Peninsula,  on  Monday,  June 
10th.  Butler,  in  his  report,  stated  the  reasons  for  the  advance 
ordered,  as  follows : 

"  Having  learned  that  the  enemy  had  established  an  outpost  of  some 
strength  at  a  place  called  Little  Bethel,  a  small  church,  about  eight 
miles  from  Newport  News,  and  the  same  distance  from  Hampton,  from 
whence  they  were  accustomed  nightly  to  advance  both  on  Newport 
News  and  the  picket  guards  of  Hampton  to  annoy  them,  and  also  from 
whence  they  had  come  down  in  small  squads  of  cavalry  and  taken  a 
number  of  Union  men,  some  of  whom  had  the  safeguard  and  protection 
of  the  troops  of  the  United  States,  and  forced  them  into  the  rebel  ranks, 
and  that  they  were  also  gathering  up  the  slaves  of  citizens  who  had 
moved  away  and  left  their  farms  in  charge  of  their  negroes,  carrying 
them  to  work  in  intrenchments  at  Williamsburg  and  Yorktown,  I  had 
determined  to  send  up  a  force  to  drive  them  back  and  destroy  their 
camp,  the  head-quarters  of  which  was  this  small  church.  I  had  also 
learned  that  at  a  short  distance  further  on,  on  the  road  to  Yorktown, 
was  an  outwork  of  the  rebels,  on  the  Hampton  side  of  a  place  called 
Big  Bethel,  a  large  church,  near  the  head  of  the  north  branch  of  Back 
River,  and  that  here  was  a  very  considerable  rendezvous,  with  works 
of  more  or  less  strength  in  process  of  erection,  and  from  this  point  the 
whole  country  was  laid  under  contribution." 
20 


154  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

He  accordingly  ordered  Brigadier- General  Pierce  "  to  send 
Dur yea's  regiment  of  Zouaves  to  be  ferried  over  Hampton  creek 
at  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  10th,  and  to  march  by 
the  road  up  to  Newmarket  bridge,  then  crossing  the  bridge, 
to  go  by  a  by-road,  and  thus  put  the  regiment  in  the  rear  of 
the  enemy,  and  between  Big  Bethel  and  Little  Bethel,  in  part 
for  the  purpose  of  cutting  him  off,  and  then  to  make  an  attack 
upon  Little  Bethel."  This  regiment  was  to  be  supported  by 
Colonel  Townsend's  regiment  (Third  New  York  volunteers) 
at  Hampton,  which  was  to  take  up  its  line  of  march  at  two 
o'clock.  Colonel  Phelps,  at  Newport  News,  was  ordered  to 
send  forward  "  such  companies  of  the  regiments  under  his 
command  as  he  thought  best,  under  command  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Washburne,  in  time  to  make  a  demonstration  upon  Lit 
tle  Bethel  in  front,  and  to  have  him  supported  by  Colonel 
Bendix's  regiment,  with  two  field  pieces."  Bendix  and  Town- 
send  were  to  form  a  junction  at  the  forks  of  the  roads  leading 
from  Hampton  and  Newport  News,  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  Little  Bethel. 

These  movements  were  so  arranged  that  the  attack  upon 
Little  Bethel  was  to  be  made  at  daybreak  ;  when,  the  enemy 
being  repulsed,  Duryea's  Zouaves  and  one  of  the  Newport  News 
regiments  were  to  "  follow  upon  the  heels  of  the  flying  rebels 
and  attack  the  battery  on  the  road  to  Big  Bethel,  while  cover 
ed  by  the  fugitives,  or,  if  it  was  thought  expedient  by  Gen 
eral  Pierce,  failing  to  surprise  the  camp  at  Little  Bethel,  they 
should  attempt  to  take  the  work  at  Big  Bethel.  To  prevent 
the  possibility  of  mistake  in  the  darkness,  Butler  directed  that 
no  attack  should  be  made  until  the  watchword  was  shouted  by 
the  attacking  regiment ;  and,  in  case  that,  by  any  mistake  in 
the  march,  the  regiments  to  make  the  junction  should  unex 
pectedly  meet  and  be  unknown  to  each  other,  it  was  directed 
that  the  members  of  Colonel  Townsend's  regiment  should  be 
known,  if  in  daylight,  by  something  white  worn  on  the  arm." 

These  orders  were  explicit,  it  will  be  seen,  and  exonerate 
Butler  from  blame  for  the  disaster  which  attended  the  expe- 


OF     THE     WAR.  155 

dition,  since,  had  they  been  carried  out,  the  objects  of  the  ex 
pedition  would  have  been  accomplished. 

The  troops  were  all  put  in  motion  as  ordered.  The  beau 
tiful  night,  clear  with  the  lignt  of  stars,  rendered  every  move 
ment  easy.  The  regiments  had  passed  to  their  several  desig 
nated  positions  —  Duryea's  in  the  advance  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Washburne  with  the  Newport  News  troops  close  at 
hand.  Townsend's  regiment  was  coming  up,  and  when  within 
a  few  yards  of  the  rendezvous,  suddenly  a  furious  fire  was 
poured  in  upon  his  ranks,  of  small  arms  and  cannon.  This  fire 
was  supposed  to  proceed  from  an  ambuscade  of  the  enemy, 
and  was  returned,  while  the  assailed  regiment  left  the  road 
and  took  the  cover  of  a  ridge  in  the  rear.  Not  until  several 
rounds  had  been  discharged  and  two  of  Townsend's  men  kill 
ed  and  eight  wounded  did  the  assailants  (who  proved  to  be 
a  portion  of  Colonel  Bendix's  regiment  of  German  riflemen, 
together  with  a  few  companies  of  Massachusetts  and  Vermont 
men)  discover  their  grievous  mistake. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Colonel  Duryea  and  Lieutenant- Colonel 
Washburne,  hearing  the  firing,  supposed  the  attack  to  proceed 
from  the  enemy,  and,  fearing  that  their  communications  might 
be  cut  off,  fell  back.  The  enemy's  pickets  had  been  reached 
by  Duryea,  and  five  of  them  were  captured  ;  but,  the  alarm 
being  given,  and  the  advance  retarded,  the  rebels  had  ample 
time  to  evacuate  their  position  at  Little  Bethel,  and  to  make 
good  their  retreat  to  Big  Bethel,  where  they  had,  as  it  after- 
waix[s  appeared,  excellent  defensive  works,  held  by  a  North 
Carolina  regiment,  and  strong  batteries  manned  by  Magruder's 
own  choice  men. 

A  conference  was  held  by  the  several  officers  in  command, 
when  it  was  determined  to  push  forward  and  assail  Big  Bethel 
— Duryea  still  on  the  advance.  A  messenger  was  dispatched  to 
Butler  giving  an  account  of  affairs,  and  suggesting  that  a  regi 
ment  be  sent  forward  as  a  reserve.  Colonel  Allen  was,  there 
upon,  thrown  forward  upon  Hampton.  No  opposition  was 
offered,  save  from  one  house,  from  which  a  shot  was  fired, 
wounding  one  man.  The  house  was  in  flames  in  a  few 


156  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

noments.  The  vicinity  of  Big  Bethel  was  reached  by  half- 
past  nine  A.  M.  The  position  was  thus  described : 

"  On  the  right  of  the  road  as  the  troops  advanced  was  a 
wood ;  in  the  centre  lay  the  road,  and,  on  their  left,  a  largo 
open  field.  The  enemy's  batteries  were  placed  so  as  not  only 
to  command  the  field,  which  was  directly  in  front  of  thorn,  but 
also  the  road  and  the  centre  woods  on  its  left  A  private 
house  and  some  outbuildings  stood  in  the  plain,  so  that  the 
Secessionists  were  placed  on  a  hill,  backed  and  concealed  by 
woods ;  in  their  entire  front  a  stream,  on  the  further  side  of 
that  stream  a  large  plain,  with  no  shelter  but  that  of  one  or 
two  insignificant  houses,  and  to  the  right,  but  commanded  by 
their  guns,  a  wood,  through  which  ran  the  road." 

The  enemy  opened  his  cannonade  at  the  first  appearance  of 
the  Federal  troops.  Duryea,  covered  by  two  howitzers  jmd  a 
brass  six-pounder,  took  the  centre ;  Townsend  the  left,  near 
the  plain,  with  two  guns;  Bendix  the  right,  in  the  woods, 
with  Lieutenant  Greble  serving  his  single  piece  of  artillery,  in 
front,  openly.  The  fight  was,  from  the  first,  extremely  un 
equal.  The  enemy,  lurking  behind  intrenchments,  and  with 
guns  commanding  the  entire  approach,  was  also  further  guarded 
by  a  narrow,  but  deep  stream,  passing  along  their  entire  front, 
and  covering  their  flank  from  approach.  Thus  secure,  the 
contest  was  alarmingly  unequal.  Pierce,  seeing  how  unex 
pectedly  warm  was  to  be  his  reception,  dispatched  a  second 
messenger  to  Butler  for  reenforcements,  when  Colonel  Carr's 
regiment,  then  advanced  as  far  as  Newmarket  bridge,  moved 
to  the  scene  of  conflict — only  reaching  it,  however,  to  partici 
pate  in  the  retreat. 

The  fortunes  of  the  day  only  needed  a  master-hand  to  direct 
them,  to  have  turned  in  favor  of  the  Union  troops.  General 
Pierce  refrained  from  much  command — each  regiment  seeming 
to  act  entirely  on  its  own  responsibility.  Several  most  gallant 
advances  were  made  by  the  Zouaves,  up  to  the  enemy's  very 
face,  to  pick  off  the  men  lurking  behind  their  guns.  Colonel 
Bendix  prepared  for  a  final  assault,  but  found  no  orders  given 
for  a  support.  Townsend's  men  behaved  with  great  gallantry, 


OF     THE     WAR.  157 

and  were  only  brought  away  from  the  murderous  fire  of  the 
artillery  by  the  personal  leadership  of  the  Colonel,  who,  on  his 
horse,  rode  between  the  fires,  and  compelled  his  troops  to 
retire.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Washburne  had,  also,  arranged 
for  a  flank  movement  which,  with  a  combined  attack  from  the 
front,  must  have  ended  the  struggle  ;  but  the  order  for  retreat 
was  given  before  the  movement  could  be  executed.  One  who 
was  present  as  an  observer,  wrote  : 

"  The  raw  troops,  recruits  not  yet  two  months  enlisted,  and 
many  of  them  not  having  received  two  weeks  drill,  stood  fire 
well  They  were  almost  utterly  unable  to  defend  themselves, 
from  the  nature  of  things,  but  never  flinched.  Some  were  less 
disciplined  than  others,  and  their  efforts  less  available,  but  no 
lack  of  the  most  difficult  sort  of  courage,  that  which  consists 
in  enduring  without  the  excitement  of  performing,  was  mani 
fested.  The  cannonading  of  the  enemy  was  incessant  Shrap- 
nell,  canister,  and  rifled  balls  came  at  the  rate  of  three  a  minute ; 
the  only  intervals  being  those  necessary  to  allow  their  guns  to 
cool.  Our  own  guns,  although  of  comparatively  little  use, 
were  not  idle,  until  the  artillery  ammunition  was  entirely  ex 
hausted.  Almost  all  of  the  cartridge  rounds  of  the  Zouaves 
were  also  fired. 

"  At  about  one  o'clock,  Colonel  Allen's  regiment,  the  First 
New  York,  came  up  as  a  reenforcement,  and,  at  about  the 
same  time,  Colonel  Carr's,  of  the  Troy  Volunteers  ;  these  also 
received  several  discharges  of  artillery;  but  did  not  move 
upon  the  open  field,  with  the  exception  of  two  hundred  of  the 
Troy  Rifles.  Their  approach,  however,  seemed  to  the  com 
manding  General  to  give  no  hope  that  he  would  be  able,  with 
out  more  artillery,  to  take  or  silence  the  batteries,  and,  at 
about  twenty  minutes  past  one,  he  gave  the  order  to  withdraw." 

The  Federal  loss  was  fourteen  killed,  forty-nine  wounded,  and 
five  missing.  Among  the  killed  were  two  of  the  most  gallant  and 
noble  men  in  the  service — Major  Theodore  Wintlirop,  Secretary 
and  Aid  to  General  Butler,  and  First-Lieutenant  John  T.  Greble, 
of  the  United  States  regular  Artillery,  Second  regiment.  The 
enemy  pronounced  his  loss  to  have  been  but  one  killed  and 
o 


158  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

four  wounded.  The  retreat  was  accomplished  in  good  order — • 
the  enemy  not  pursuing.  A  troop  of  cavalry  sallied  over  the 
bridge,  and  fell  upon  the  wagons  collecting  the  wounded — 
disregarding  the  flag  of  truce  borne  by  the  Chaplain  in  com 
mand,  but  no  attack  was  made  on  the  lines.  Colonel  Phelps 
had  dispatched  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  under  Colonel 
Hawkins,  to  the  scene  of  combat ;  but  these  troops  only  met 
the  retreat 

This  contest  excited  the  public  mind  greatly.  Upon  General 
Pierce  the  censure  of  defeat  fell,  with  merciless  severity.  He 
was  charged  with  inefficiency,  ignorance  of  field  manoeuvres, 
want  of  pluck,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  questionable  if  the  charges  were 
wholly  true.  The  first  error  was  in  dispatching  so  large  a 
force  without  equivalent  artillery.  Had  there  been  a  dozen 
good  field  pieces,  the  enemy  would  have  been  driven  from  his 
position  in  half-an-hour.  As  it  was,  Greble's  single  gun  did 
memorable  service,  and,  had  Bendix  and  Duryea  been  allowed 
to  charge,  as  they  wished,  at  a  moment  when  it  was  evident 
that  Greble  and  the  sharpshooters  had  silenced  over  half  of  the 
enemy's  guns,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  day  would 
have  been  won.  General  Pierce  lacked  confidence  in  himself 
It  was  his  first  experience  on  the  battle  field ;  he  seemed  con 
fused  by  its  responsibilities.  Conceded  to  be  a  brave  officer 
and  a  good  disciplinarian,  he  still  lacked  the  experiences  of  a 
general  field  command.  Had  he  wisely  conferred  that  com 
mand  upon  Duryea,  or,  indeed,  upon  any  one  of  his  Colonels, 
that  army  never  would  have  retreated,  especially  after  the 
arrival  of  Colonel  Carr's  fine  troops,  with  their  two  effective 
pieces  of  artillery. 

In  the  enemy's  account  of  the  fight,  as  given  by  the  Eich- 
mond  Dispatch,  the  fact  was  made  known  that  Magruder  com 
manded  in  person.  The  infantry  present  consisted  of  the  First 
North  Carolina  regiment,  Colonel  Hill.  Their  guns  consisted 
of  a  superb  howitzer  battery  (seven  guns),  embracing  one  fine 
Parrot  field-piece.  The  battery  was  worked  by  one  hundred 
chosen  men,  under  Major  EandolpL  The  account  stated, 
among  other  things : 


OF     THE     WAR.  159 

"  About  nine  o'clock,  the  glittering  bayonets  of  the  enemy 
appeared  on  the  hill  opposite,  and  above  them  waved  the  Star 
Spangled  .Banner.  The  moment  the  head  of  the  column  ad 
vanced  far  enough  to  show  one  or  two  companies,  the  Parrot 
gun  of  the  howitzer  battery  opened  on  them,  throwing  a  shell 
right  into  their  midst.  Their  ranks  broke  in  confusion,  and 
the  column,  or  as  much  of  it  as  we  could  see,  retreated  behind 
two  small  farm-houses.  From  their  position  a  fire  was  opened 
on  us,  which  was  replied  to  by  our  battery,  which  commanded 
the  route  of  their  approach.  Our  firing -was  excellent,  and  the 
shells  scattered  in  all  directions  when  they  burst.  They  could 
hardly  approach  the  guns  which  they  were  firing  for  the  shells 
which  came  from  our  battery.  Within  our  encampment  fell  a 
perfect  hailstorm  of  canister-shot,  bullets,  and  balls.  Kemark- 
able  to  say,  not  one  of  our  men  was  killed,  inside  of  our  en 
campment  Several  horses  were  slain  by  the  shells  and 
bullets. 

"  Finding  that  bombardment  would  not  answer,  the  enemy, 
about  eleven  o'clock,  tried  to  carry  the  position  by  assault,  but 
met  a  terrible  repulse  at  the  hands  of  the  infantry,  as  he  tried 
to  scale  the  breastworks,  The  men  disregarded  sometimes  the 
defenses  erected  for  them,  and,  leaping  on  the  embankment, 
stood  and  fired  at  the  Yankees,  cutting  them  down  as  they 
came  up.  One  company  of  the  New  York  Seventh  regiment, 
under  Captain  Winthrop,  attempted  to  take  the  redoubt  on  the 
left.  The  marsh  they  crossed  was  strewn  with  their  bodies. 
Their  Captain,  a  fine-looking  man,  reached  the  fence,  and,  lean 
ing  on  a  log,  waved  his  sword,  crying,  *  Come  on,  boys,  one 
charge,  and  the  day  is  ours.'  The  words  were  his  last,  for  a 
Carolina,  rifle  ended  his  life  the  next  moment,  and  his  men  fled 
in  terror  back.  At  the  redoubt  on  the  right,  a  company  of 
about  three  hundred  New  York  Zouaves  charged  one  of  our 
guns,  but  could  not  stand  the  fire  of  the  infantry,  and  retreated 
precipitately. 

"  During  these  charges,  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  on  the 
hill  were  attempting  to  concentrate  for  a  general  assault,  but 
the  shells  from  the  howitzer  battery  prevented  them.  As  one 


160  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

regiment  would  give  up  the  effort,  another  would  be  marched 
to  the  position,  but  with  no  better  success,  for  a  shell  would 
scatter  them  like  chaff.  The  men  did  not  seem  able  to  stand 
fire  at  all. 

4 'About  one  o'clock  their  guns  were  silenced,  and  a  few 
moments  after,  their  infantry  retreated  precipitately  down  the 
road  to  Hampton." 

The  Kaleigh  State  Journal  published  the  following  in  an 

extra : 

"  YORK-TOWN,  Va.,  June  llth,  1861. 
"Hon.  J.  W.  EUis,  Governor  of  North  Carolina: 

"  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  eight  hundred  men  of  my  regi 
ment  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  Virginians  were  engaged  for  five 
and  a  half  hours  with  four  and  a  half  regiments  of  the  enemy,  at  Bethel 
Church,  nine  miles  from  Hampton. 

"  The  enemy  made  three  distinct  and  well-sustained  charges,  but  were 
repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  Our  cavalry  pursued  them  for  six  miles,  when 
their  retreat  became  a  total  route.  Fearing  that  heavy  reenforeements 
would  be  sent  up  from  Fortress  Monroe,  we  fell  back  at  nightfall  upon 
our  works  at  Yorktown.  I  regret  to  report  the  loss  of  one  man  killed, 
private  Henry  L.  Wyatt,  Edgecomb  Guards,  and  seven  wounded. 

"  The  loss  of  the  enemy,  by  their  own  confession,  was  one  hundred 
and  fifty,  but  it  may  be  safely  estimated  at  two  hundred  and  fifty. 

"  Our  regiment  behaved  most  gallantly.  Not  a  man  shrunk  from  his 
post  or  showed  symptoms  of  fear.  When  more  at  leisure,  I  will  give 
you  a  detailed  report  of  the  operations. 

"  Our  Heavenly  Father  has  most  wonderfully  interposed  to  shield  our 
hearts  in  the  day  of  battle  ;  unto  His  great  name  be  all  the  praise  for 
our  success. 

"  With  much  respect,  D.  H.  HILL, 

"  Colonel  First  Regiment  N.  C.  Volunteers." 


MAJOR     WINTHEOP. 

MAJOK  Theodore  Winthrop  was  one  of  those  luminaries 
whose  worth,  was  not  fully  estimated  until  it  had  departed  for 
ever.  His  brief  career — his  heroic  death — gave  to  the  news 
paper  paragraphist  a  theme  for  a  brief  record ;  but  to  those 
who  valued  those  qualities  in  man  which  render  him  adorable, 
the  life  of  Major  Winthrop  was  a  theme  of  abiding  interest, 
and  his  death  the  source  of  an  abiding  sorrow. 

If  the  young  Ellsworth  was  the  embodiment  of.  the  spirit 
of  American  energy  and  vitality,  the  young  Winthrop  was 
none  the  less  a  representative  of  American  nobility  of  nature. 
His  scarcely  opened  life  had  but  just  begun  to  display  its  pu 
rity  and  grace  ere  it  was  closed  again — to  become  a  tender 
memory.  Over  Ellsworth's  tomb  hangs  a  halo  of  the  glory 
which  bursts  and  burns  from  the  brow  of  the  resistless  man. 
Over  the  tomb  of  Winthrop  beams  the  halo  of  glory  which 
radiates  and  glows  from  the  brow  of  the  adorable  man.  It  is 
well  to  enshrine  the  story  of  such  lives  in  the  history  of  the 
cause  in  which  they  were  offered  as  sacrifices. 

The  Atlantic  Monthly  for  August,  1861,  contained  a  paper 
on  Winthrop,  which  so  fully  revealed  the  man,  that  we  adopt 
it  as  the  estimate  which  we  desire  to  attach  to  his  memory. 
It  was  understood  to  emanate  from  the  pen  of  George  Henry 
Curtis,  Esquire,  an  intimate  associate  of  the  deceased  officer, 
and  one  familiar  with  that  inner  life  of  Winthrop  which  ren 
dered  him  the  type  of  man,  whom  it  should  be  the  study  of  our 
young  men  to  emulate.  We  extract  from  that  paper  such 
portions  of  it  as  are  material  to  a  clear  comprehension  of  the 
life  and  character  of  our  subject : 
02  21 


162  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"He  was  born  in  New  Haven  on  the  23d  of  September,  1828,  and 
was  a  grave,  delicate,  rather  precocious  child.  He  was  at  school  only  in 
New  Haven,  and  entered  Yale  College  just  as  he  was  sixteen.  The  pure, 
manly  morality  which  was  the  substance  of  his  character,  and  his  bril 
liant  exploits  of  scholarship,  made  him  the  idol  of  his  college  friends, 
who  saw  in  him  the  promise  of  the  splendid  career  which  the  fond  faith 
of  students  allots  to  the  favorite  classmate.  He  studied  for  the  Clark 
scholarship,  and  gained  it ;  and  his  name,  in  the  order  of  time,  is  first 
upon  the  roll  of  that  foundation.  He  won  the  Townsend  prize  for  the 
best  composition  on  history.  For  the  Berkeleian  scholarship  he  and 
another  were  judged  equal,  and,  drawing  lots,  the  other  gained  the 
scholarship ;  but  they  divided  the  honor. 

"  In  college  his  favorite  studies  were  Greek  and  mental  philosophy. 
He  never  lost  the  scholarly  taste  and  habit.  A  wide  reader,  he  retained 
knowledge  with  little  effort,  and  often  surprised  his  friends  by  the 
variety  of  his  information.  Yet  it  was  not  strange,  for  he  was  born  a 
scholar.  His  mother  was  the  great  grand-daughter  of  old  President 
Edwards  :  and,  among  his  ancestors  upon  the  maternal  side,  Winthrop 
counted  seven  College  Presidents.  Perhaps,  also,  in  this  learned  descent 
we  may  find  the  secret  of  his  early  seriousness.  Thoughtful  and  self- 
criticizing,  he  was  peculiarly  sensible  to  religious  influences,  under 
which  his  criticism  easily  became  self-accusation,  and  his  sensitive 
seriousness  grew  sometimes  morbid.  He  would  have  studied  for  the 
ministry  or  a  professorship,  upon  leaving  college,  except  for  his  failing 
health. 

"  In  the  latter  days,  when  I  knew  him,  the  feverish  ardor  of  the  first 
religious  impulse  was  past.  It  had  given  place  to  a  faith  much  too 
deep  and  sacred  to  talk  about,  yet  holding  him  always  with  serene, 
steady  poise  in  the  purest  region  of  life  and  feeling.  There  was  no 
franker  or  more  sympathetic  companion  for  young  men  of  his  own  age 
than  he  ;  but  his  conversation  fell  from  his  lips  as  unsullied  as  his  soul. 

"  He  graduated  in  1848,  when  he  was  twenty  years  old;  and,  for  the 
sake  of  his  health,  which  was  seriously  shattered — an  ill-health  that 
colored  all  his  life — he  set  out  upon  his  travels.  He  went  first  to 
England,  spending  much  time  at  Oxford,  where  he  made  pleasant 
acquaintances,  and  walking  through  Scotland.  He  then  crossed  over 
to  France  and  Germany,  exploring  Switzerland  very  thoroughly  upon 
foot — once  or  twice  escaping  great  dangers  among  the  mounttdns — and 
pushed  on  to  Italy  and  Greece,  still  walking  much  of  the  way.  In  Italy 
he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Aspiuwall,  of  New  York,  and, 
upon  his  return,  became  tutor  to  Mr.  Aspinwall's  son.  He  presently 
accompanied  his  pupil  and  a  nephew  of  Mr.  Aspinwall,  who  were  going 
to  a  school  in  Switzerland ;  and,  after  a  second  short  tour  of  six  months 


OF     THE     WAR.  163 

in  Europe,  he  returned  to  New  York,  and  entered  Mr.  Aspinwall's 
counting-bouse.  In  the  employ  of  the  Pacific  Steamship  Company  he 
went  to  Panama,  and  resided  for  about  two  years,  traveling,  and  often 
ill  of  the  fevers  of  the  country.  Before  his  return  he  traveled  through 
California  and  Oregon — went  to  Vancouver's  Island,  Puget  Sound,  and 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  station  there.  At  the  Dalles  he  was  smitten 
with  the  sinall-pox,  and  lay  ill  for  six  weeks.  He  often  spoke  with  the 
warmest  gratitude  of  the  kind  care  that  was  taken  of  him  there.  But 
when  only  partially  recovered,  he  plunged  off  again  into  the  wilderness. 
At  another  time,  b.e  fell  very  ill  upon  the  Plains,  and  lay  down,  as  he 
supposed,  to  die ;  but,  after  some  time,  struggled  up  and  on  again. 

"  He  returned  to  the  counting-room,  but,  unsated  with  adventure, 
joined  the  disastrous  expedition  of  Lieutenant  Strain,  during  which  his 
health  was  still  more  weakened,  and  he  came  home  again  in  1845.  In 
the  following  year  he  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In  1856 
he  entered  heartily  into  the  Fremont  campaign,  and  from  the  strongest 
conviction.  He  went  into  some  of  the  dark  districts  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
spoke  incessantly.  The  roving  life  and  its  picturesque  episodes,  with 
the  earnest  conviction  which  inspired  him,  made  the  summer  and 
autumn  exciting  and  pleasant.  The  following  year  he  went  to  St.  Louis 
to  practice  law.  The  climate  was  unkind  to  him,  and  he  returned  and 
began  the  practice  in  New  York.  But  he  could  not  be  a  lawyer.  His 
health  was  too  uncertain,  and  his  tastes  and  ambition  allured  him  else 
where.  His  mind  was  brimming  with  the  results  of  observation.  His 
fancy  was  alert  and  inventive,  and  he  wrote  tales  and  novels.  At  the 
same  time  he  delighted  to  -haunt  the  studio  of  his  friend  Church,  the 
painter,  and  watch  day  by  day  the  progress  of  his  picture,  the  Heart  of 
the  Andes.  It  so  fired  his  imagination  that  he  wrote  a  description  of 
it,  in  which,  as  if  rivalling  the  tropical  and  tangled  richness  of  the  pic 
ture,  he  threw  together  such  heaps  and  masses  of  gorgeous  words,  that 
the  reader  was  dazzled  and  bewildered. 

"  The  wild,  campaigning  life,  was  always  a  secret  passion  with  him. 
His  stories  of  travel  were  so  graphic  and  warm,  that  I  remember  one 
evening,  after  we  had  been  tracing  upon  the  map  a  route  he  had  taken, 
and  he  had  touched  the  whole  region  into  life  with  his  description,  my 
younger  brother,  who  had  sat  by  and  listened  with  wide  eyes  all  the 
evening,  exclaimed,  with  a  sigh  of  regretful  satisfaction,  as  the  door 
closed  upon  our  story-teller,  '  It's  as  good  as  Robinson  Crusoe  ! '  Yet, 
with  all  his  fondness  and  fitness  for  that  kind  of  life,  or,  indeed,  any 
active  administrative  function,  his  literary  ambition  seemed  to  be  the 
deepest  and  strongest. 

"  He  had  always  been  writing.  In  college  and  upon  his  travels  he 
kept  diaries;  and  he  has  left  behind* him  several  novels,  tales,  sketches 


164  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

of  travel,  and  journals.  The  first  published  writing  of  his  which  is  well 
known,  is  his  description  of  the  March  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  New 
York  to  Washington.  It  was  charming  by  its  graceful,  sparkling,  crisp, 
off-hand  dash  and  ease.  But  it  is  only  the  practised  hand  that  can 
"  dash  off"  the  story  of  a  day,  or  a  week,  in  the  life  of  the  regiment, 
and  he  will  see  that  the  writer  did  that  little  thing  well,  because  he  had 
done  large  things  carefully.  Yet,  amid  all  the  hurry  and  brilliant 
bustle  of  the  articles,  the  author  is,  as  he  was  in  the  most  bustling  mo» 
nient  of  life  they  described,  a  spectator,  an  artist.  He  looks  on  at  him 
self,  and  the  scene  of  which  he  is  part — he  is  willing  to  merge  hia 
individuality ;  but  he  does  not  merge  it,  for  he  could  not, 

"  So,  wandering,  hoping,  trying,  waiting,  thirty-two  years  of  his  life 
went  by,  and  they  left  him  true,  sympathetic,  patient.  The  sharp  pri 
vate  griefs  that  sting  the  heart  so  deeply,  and  leave  a  little  poison  be 
hind,  did  not  spare  him.  But  he  bore  everything  so  bravely,  so  silently 
— often  silent  for  a  whole  evening  in  the  midst  of  pleasant  talkers,  but 
not  impertinently  sad,  nor  even  sullen — that  we  all  loved  him  a  little 
more  at  such  times.  The  ill-health  from  which  he  always  suffered,  and 
a  flower-like  delicacy  of  temperament,  the  yearning  desire  to  be  of  some 
service  in  the  world,  coupled  with  the  curious,  critical  introspection 
which  marks  every  sensitive  and  refined  nature  and  paralyzes  action, 
overcast  his  life  and  manner  to  the  common  eye  with  pensiveness  and 
even  sternness.  He  wrote  verses  in  which  his  heart  seems  to  exhale  in 
a  sigh  of  sadness.  But  he  was  not  in  the  least  a  sentimentalist.  The 
womanly  grace  of  temperament  merely  enhanced  the  unusual  manliness 
of  his  character  and  impression.  It  was  like  a  delicate  carnation  upon 
the  cheek  of  a  robust  man  ;  for  his  humor  was  exuberant.  He  seldom 
laughed  loud,  but  his  smile  was  sweet  and  appreciative.  Then  the 
range  of  his  sympathies  was  so  large,  that  he  enjoyed  every  kind  of  life 
and  person,  and  was  everywhere  at  home.  In  walking  and  riding,  in 
skating  and  running,  in  games  out  of  doors  and  in,  no  one  of  us  till  in 
the  neighborhood  was  so  expert,  so  agile  as  he.  For,  above  all  things, 
he  had  what  we  Yankees  call  faculty — the  knack  of  doing  everything. 
If  he  rode  with  a  neighbor  who  was  a  good  horseman,  Theodore,  who 
was  a  Centaur,  when  he  mounted,  would  put  any  horse  at  any  gate  or 
fence  ;  for  it  did  not  occur  to  him  that  he  could  not  do  whatever  was 
to  be  done.  Often,  after  writing  for  a  few  hours  in  the  morning,  he 
stepped  out  of  doors,  and,  from  pure  love  of  the  fun,  leaped  and  turned 
summersaults  on  the  grass,  before  going  up  to  town.  In  walking  about 
the  island,  he  constantly  stopped  by  the  roadside  fences,  and,  grasping 
the  highest  rail,  swung  himself  swiftly  and  neatly  over  and  back  again, 
resuming  the  walk  and  the  talk  without  delay. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  make  him  too  much  of  a  hero.     '  Death,'  says 


OF     THE     WAR.  165 

Bacon,  '  openetli  the  gate  to  good  fame.'  When  a  neighbor  dies,  his 
form  and  quality  appear  clearly,  as  if  he  had  been  dead  a  thousand 
years.  Then  we  see  what  we  only  felt  before.  Heroes  in  history  seem 
to  us  poetic  because  they  are  there.  But  if  we  should  tell  the  simple 
truth  of  some  of  our  neighbors,  it  would  sound  like  poetry.  Winthrop 
was  one  of  the  men  who  represent  the  manly  and  poetic  qualities  that 
always  exist  around  us — not  great  genius,  which  is  ever  salient,  but  the 
fine  fibre  of  manhood  that  makes  the  worth  of  the  race. 

"  Closely  engaged  with  his  literary  employments,  and  more  quiet 
than  ever,  he  took  less  active  parHn  the  last  election.  But  when  the 
menace  of  treason  became  an  aggressive  act,  he  saw  very  clearly  the  in 
evitable  necessity  of  arms.  We  all  talked  of  it  constantly — watching 
the  news — chafing  at  the  sad  necessity  of  delay,  which  was  sure  to  con 
fuse  foreign  opinion  and  alienate  sympathy,  as  has  proved  to  be  tho 
case.  As  matters  advanced  and  the  war-cloud  rolled  up  thicker  and 
blacker,  he  looked  at  it  with  the  secret  satisfaction  that  war  for  such  a 
cause  opened  his  career  both  as  thinker  and  actor.  The  admirable 
coolness,  the  promptness,  the  cheerful  patience,  the  heroic  ardor,  the 
intelligence,  the  tough  experience  of  campaigning,  the  profound  con 
viction,  that  the  cause  was  in  truth  '  the  good  old  cause,'  which  was  now 
to  come  to  the  death-grapple  with  its  old  enemy,  Justice  against  Injus 
tice,  Order  against  Anarchy — all  these  should  now  have  their  turn,  and 
the  wanderer  and  waiter  '  settle  himself  at  last. 

"  We  took  a  long  walk  together  on  the  Sunday  that  brought  the 
news  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Sumter.  He  was  thoroughly  alive  with  a 
bright,  earnest  forecast  of  his  part  in  the  coming  work.  Returning 
home  with,  me,  he  sat  until  late  in  the  evening  talking  with  an  unwont 
ed  spirit,  saying  playfully,  I  remember,  that,  if  his  friends  would  only 
give  him  a  horse,  he  would  ride  straight  to  victory.  Especially  he 
wished  that  some  competent  person  would  keep  a  careful  record  of 
events  as  they  passed ;  '  for  we  are  making  our  history,'  he  said,  '  hand 
over  hand.'  He  sat  quietly  in  the  great  chair  while  he  spoke,  and  at 
last  rose  to  go.  We  went  together  to  the  door,  and  stood  for  a  little 
while  upon  the  piazza,  where  we  had  sat  peacefully  through  so  many 
golden  summer-hours.  The  last  hour  for  us  had  come,  but  we  did  not 
know  it.  We  shook  hands,  and  he  left  me,  passing  rapidly  along  the 
brook-side  under  the  trees,  and  so  in  the  soft  spring  starlight  vanished 
from  my  sight  forever. 

"  The  next  morning  came  the  President's  proclamation.  Winthrop 
went  immediately  to  town  and  enrolled  himself  in  the  artillery  corps 
of  the  Seventh  regiment.  During  the  two  or  three  following  clays  he 
was  very  busy  and  very  happy.  On  Friday  afternoon,  the  19th  of 
April,  I  stood  at  the  corner  of  Courtland  street  and  saw  the  regiment 


166  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

as  it  marched  away.  Two  days  before,  I  had  seen  the  Massachusetts 
troops  going  down  the  same  street.  During  the  day  the  news  had 
come  that  they  were  already  engaged,  that  some  were  already  dead  in 
Baltimore.  And  the  Seventh,  as  they  went,  blessed  and  wept  over  by 
a  great  city,  went,  as  we  all  believed,  to  terrible  battle.  The  setting 
sun  in  a  clear  April  sky  shone  full  up  the  street.  Mothers'  eyes  glis 
tened  at  the  windows  upon  the  glistening  bayonets  of  their  boys  below. 
I  knew  that  Winthrop  and  other  dear  friends  were  there,  but  I  did  not 
see  them.  I  saw  only  a  thousand  men  marching  like  one  hero.  The 
music  beat  and  rang  and  clashed  in  the  air.  Marching  to  death  or  vic 
tory  or  defeat,  it  mattered  not.  They  marched  for  Justice,  and  God 
was  their  Captain. 

"  From  that  moment  he  has  told  his  own  story  in  these  pages  *  until 
he  went  to  Fortress  Monroe,  and  was  made  acting  military  secretary 
and  aid  by  General  Butler.  Before  he  went,  he  wrote  the  most  copious 
and  gayest  letters  from  the  camp.  He  was  thoroughly  aroused,  and  all 
his  powers  happily  at  play.  In  a  letter  to  me  soon  after  his  arrival  in 
Washington,  he  says  : 

"  '  I  see  no  present  end  of  this  business.  We  must  conquer  the  South. 
Afterward  we  must  be  prepared  to  do  its  police  in  its  own  behalf,  and 
in  behalf  of  its  black  population,  whom  this  war  must,  without  precipi 
tation,  emancipate.  We  must  hold  the  South  as  the  metropolitan  po 
lice  holds  New  York.  All  this  is  inevitable.  Now  I  wish  to  enroll 
myself  at  once  in  the  Police  of  the  Nation,  and  for  life,  if  the  nation  will 
take  me.  I  do  not  see  that  I  can  put  myself— experience  and  character 
— to  any  more  useful  use.  .  .  .  .  My  experience  in  this  short  cam 
paign  with  the  Seventh  assures  me  that  volunteers  are  for  one  purpose 
and  regular  soldiers  entirely  another.  We  want  regular  soldiers  for  the 
cause  of  order  in  these  anarchial  countries,  and  we  want  men  in  com 
mand  who,  though  they  may  be  valuable  as  temporary  satraps  or  pro 
consuls  to  make  liberty  possible  where  it  is  now  impossible,  will  never 
under  any  circumstances  be  disloyal  to  Liberty,  will  always  oppose  any 
scheme  of  any  one  to  constitute  a  military  government,  and  will  be 
ready,  when  the  time  conies,  to  imitate  Washington.  We  must  think 
of  these  things,  and  prepare  for  them.' 

"  The  last  days  of  his  life  at  Fortress  Monroe  were  doubtless  also  the 
happiest.  His  energy  and  enthusiasm,  and  kind,  winning  ways,  and 
the  deep  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  all  his  gifts  could  now  be  used  as 
he  would  have  them,  showed  him  and  his  friends  that  his  clay  had  at 
length  dawned.  He  was  especially  interested  in  the  condition  and  fate 
of  the  slaves  who  escaped  from  the  neighboring  region  and  sought 

*  Referring  to  articles  contributed  to  the  Atlantic  Monthly. 


OF     THE     WAR.  167 

refuge  at  the  fort.  He  had  never  for  an  instant  forgotten  the  secret 
root  of  the  treason  which  was  desolating  the  land  with  war  ;  and  in  his 
view  there  would  be  no  peace  until  that  root  was  destroyed.  In  his 
letters  written  from  the  fort  he  suggests  plans  of  relief  and  comfort  for 
the  refj^ees  ;  and  one  of  his  last  requests  was  to  a  lady  in  New  York, 
for  clothes  for  these  poor  pensioners.  They  were  promptly  sent,  but 
reached  the  fort  too  late. 

"  As  I  look  over  these  last  letters,  which  gush  and  throb  with  the 
fullness  of  his  activity,  and  are  so  tenderly  streaked  with  touches  of 
constant  affection  and  remembrance,  yet  are  so  calm  and  duly  mindful 
of  every  detail,  I  do  not  think  with  an  elder  friend,  in  whom  the  wis 
dom  of  years  has  only  deepened  sympathy  for  all  generous  youthful 
impulse,  of  Virgil's  Marcellus, '  Heu,  miserande  puer  /'  but  I  recall,  rather, 
still  haunted  by,Philip  Sidney,  what  he  wrote,  just  before  his  death,  to 
his  father-in-law,  Walsingham  — '  I  think  a  wise  and  constant  man 
ought  never  to  grieve  while  he  doth  play,  as  a  man  may  say  his  own 
part  truly.' 

"  The  disastrous  day  of  the  10th  of  June,  at  Great  Bethel,  need  not 
be  described.  It  is  already  written  with  tears  and  vain  regrets  in  our 
history.  It  is  useless  to  prolong  the  debate  as  to  where  the  blame  of 
defeat,  if  blame  there  were,  should  rest.  But  there  is  an  impression 
somewhat  prevalent  that  Winthrop  planned  the  expedition,  which  is 
incorrect.  As  military  secretary  of  the  commanding  general,  he  made 
a  memorandum  of  the  outline  of  the  plan  as  it  had  been  finally  settled. 
Precisely  what  that  memorandum  (which  has  been  published)  was,  he 
explains  in  the  last  letter  he  wrote,  a  few  hours  before  leaving  the  fort. 
He  says  :  '  If  I  come  back  safe,  I  will  send  you  my  notes  of  the  plan  of 
attack,  part  made  up  from  the  General's  hints,  part  my  own  fancies.' 
This  defines  exactly  his  responsibility.  His  position  as  aid  and  military 
secretary,  his  admirable  qualities  as  adviser  under  the  circumstances, 
and  his  personal  friendship  for  the  General,  brought  him  intimately 
into  the  council  of  war.  He  embarked  in  the  plan  all  the  interest  of  a 
brave  soldier  contemplating  his  first  battle.  He  probably  made  sug 
gestions  some  of  which  were  adopted.  The  expedition  was  the  first 
move  from  Fort  Monroe,  to  which  the  country  had  been  long  looking 
in  expectation.  These  were  the  reasons  why  he  felt  so  peculiar  a 
responsibility  for  its  success ;  and  after  the  melancholy  events  of  the 
earlier  part  of  the  day,  he  saw  that  its  fortunes  could  be  retrieved  only 
by  a  dash  of  heroic  enthusiasm.  Fired  himself,  he  sought  to  kindle 
others.  For  one  moment  that  brave,  inspiring  form  is  plainly  visible 
to  his  whole  country,  rapt  and  calm,  standing  upon  the  log  nearest  the 
enemy's  battery,  the  mark  of  their  sharpshooters,  the  admiration  of 
their  leaders,  waving  his.  sword,  cheering  his  fellow-soldiers  with  his 


168  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

bngle  voice  of  victory — young,  brave,  beautiful,  for  one  moment  erect 
and  glowing  in  the  wild  whirl  of  battle,  the  next  falling  forward  to 
ward  the  foe,  dead,  but  triumphant. 

"  On  the  19th  of  April  he  left  the  armory-door  of  the  Seventh,  with 
his  hand  upon  a  howitzer  ;  on  the  21st  of  June  his  body  lay  1%>on  the 
same  howitzer  at  the  same  door,  wrapped  in  the  flag  for  which  he 
gladly  died,  as  the  symbol  of  human  freedom.  And  so,  drawn  by  the 
hands  of  young  men  lately  strangers  to  him,  but  of  whose  bravery  and 
loyalty  he  had  been  the  laureate,  and  who  fitly  mourned  him  who  had 
honored  them,  with  long,  pealing  dirges  and  muffled  drums,  he  moved 
forward." 


THE     SECOND     DISASTER. 

THE  defeat  of  the  Federal  army  of  invasion  at  Bull  Run 
Sunday,  July  21st,  1861,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and 
mysterious  affairs  recorded  in  the  annals  of  modern  warfare. 
A  magnificent  army,  having  fought,  against  great  odds,  a  bat 
tle  of  an  unusually  sanguinary  nature,  at  a  moment  when  vic 
tory  was  about  to  rest  upon  its  standard,  broke  up  in  a  panic, 
retreated  in  disorder  to  their  fartherest  defenses,  abandoned 
vast  stores,  artillery  and  equippage,  forsook  positions  which  a 
few  brave  men  could  have  held  securely,  and  collected  in  carnp 
a  disorganized  and  dispirited  mass — all  from  no  perceptible 
good  reason  and  without  being  able  to  fasten  the  first  fault 
upon  any  particular  corps  or  regiment. 

That  the  battle  was  virtually  won  by  the  Federal  forces  the 
rebel  leaders  themselves  confess.  Beauregard,  at  a  dinner 
given  him  in  Eichmond,  stated,  with  minuteness,  the  circum 
stances  of  his  peril  and  his  defeat — that  he  had  just  given  the 
order  to  his  aid  for  the  grand  retreat  to  Manassas,  but  retained 
the  aid  to  await  the  solution  of  a  single  movement :  a  banner 


OF     THE     WAR.  169 

was  seen  in  the  distance,  to  the  west,  advancing  at  the  head 
of  a  division — if  that  of  the  Federals  all  was  lost — if  that  of 
one  of  his  own  divisions  it  would  steady  the  movements  about 
to  be  ordered,  or  possibly  turn  the  tide  of  defeat.  He  depict 
ed  the  intensity  of  his  emotions  at  that  moment,  and  how  his 
heart  leaped  for  joy  upon  distinguishing,  with  his  glass,  that 
the  flag  was  that  of  the  Confederacy.  The  order  for  retreat 
was  not  issued,  and  soon  the  General-in-Chief  learned  that  the 
long  looked-for  reenforcements  from  Johnson's  army  had  ar 
rived.  This  timely  arrival  of  fourteen  thousand  comparatively 
fresh  men  saved  Beauregard's  overwhelming  defeat  and  gave 
him  the  vantage  ground.  The  Union  troops,  however,  fought 
the  v,ray  on — were  pushing  the  enemy  slowly  but  surely  back 
ward  when,  without  just  cause,  a  stampede  commenced,  which 
no  power  of  officers,  or  of  eminent  civilians  present,  could  pre 
vent.  The  regiments  of  most  undoubted  bravery,  those  whose 
ranks  were  deplorably  thinned  by  service  fled  in  dismay  be 
fore  an  imaginary  pursuit.  Artillery  of  the  most  costly  and 
efficient  character  was  abandoned — the  gunners  taking  to  the 
horses  for  escape.  Wagons  loaded  with  immense  quantities 
of  stores  were  abandoned,  while  the  teamsters  or  the  flying 
infantry  seized  the  horses  and  mules  to  hasten  in  advance  of 
the  disordered  mass.  Officers  came  on  without  commands, 
wild  with  frenzy  at  the  course  of  their  troops,  but  perfectly 
powerless  to  stay  the  disgraceful  scamper.  A  few  regiments 
moved  on  in  comparatively  good  order,  but  their  course  was 
Washington- ward,  and  no  efforts  to  stand  were  made.  Blenk- 
er's  fine  division — held  as  a  reserve  at  Centerville,  covered  the 
rout  in  good  order,  but  did  no  service  as  no  enemy  pursued. 
It  was  i  causeless,  senseless,  disgraceful  panic — one  which  ever 
will  stand  as  one  of  the  inexplicable  phenomena  of  the  modern 
battle-field. 

No  battle  ever  was  fought  where  so  many  and  such  various 
opinions  were  expressed  by  those  present.  Many  newspapers 
were  represented  by  able  and  vigilant  correspondents ;  num 
bers  of  Congressmen  were  there ;  eminent  civilians  came  out 
to  view  the  conflict,  which  was  heralded  by  the  skirmishing 

P22 


170  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

of  three  previous  days  ; — most  all  of  whom  published  state 
ments  and  narratives  of  the  disaster,  many  of  which  disagreed 
in  important,  specific  and  general  particulars.  The  statements 
of  officers  only  added  to  the  confusion,  while  official  reports 
failed  to  throw  any  light  upon  the  actual  cause  or  the  extent 
of  the  disaster. 

A  letter  from  an  officer  of  the  regular  service  present  at  the 
battle,  gave  the  following  general  narrative  of  the  events  of 
the  day  : 

"  The  march  from  our  bivouac,  near  Centreville,  was  taken  up  at  2-J  A.  M. 
on  Sunday.  Among  officers  and  men  the  impression  prevailed  that  the 
action  would  occur  at  Bull's  Run,  the  scene  of  General  Tyler's  repulse 
a  day  or  two  previously.  In  this  they  were  disappointed.  Tyler's 
brigade  posted  themselves  at  the  bridge  over  Bull's  Run,  where  they 
were  ordered  to  feign  an  attack  as  soon  as  General  Hunter's  division 
were  known  to  be  in  position.  This  order  was  partially  obeyed.  Hun 
ter's  division,  composed  of  Burnside's  brigade  and  Porter's  brigade, 
after  proceeding  a  mile  beyond  Centreville,  made  a  detour  to  the  right, 
and  proceeded  over  a  wood  road,  well  covered  from  observation,  to  the 
left  flank  of  the  enemy  at  Manassas,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles. 
At  six  o'clock  firing  was  heard  on  the  heights  at  Bull's  Run,  from  a 
battery  in  Tyler's  brigade,  which  was  promptly  answered  by  the  enemy's 
batteries.  Their  position  thus  revealed,  the  advance  division  (Hunter's) 
ascended  a  hill  at  double  quick,  and  almost  immediately  the  Rhode 
Island  battery  and  Griffin's  West  Point  battery  were  in  brisk  action. 
The  former  was  supported  by  the  First  regiment  Rhode  Island  volun 
teers,  who  maintained'  their  ground  nobly  for  a  half  hour.  At  this  mo 
ment  Porter's  brigade,  composed  of  the  Fourteenth,  Seventh  and  Twen 
ty-seventh  New  York,  with  a  battalion  of  United  States  marines,  under 
Major  Reynolds,  and  a  battalion  of  United  States  Third,  Second  and 
Eighth  infantry,  under  Major  Sykes,  took  their  position  in  line  of  battle 
upon  a  hill,  within  range  of  the  enemy's  fire.  Burnside's  battery  being 
sorely  pressed,  the  enemy  having  charged  closely  upon  it,  the  gallant 
Colonel  galloped  to  Major  Sykes  and  implored  him  to  come  to  his  as 
sistance.  Major  Sykes  brought  up  his  men  at  a  run,  and,  with  a  deaf 
ening  shout,  they  charged  upon  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  who  fled  before 
them  several  hundred  yards.  Forming  in  column  of  divisions,  Sykes' 
battalion  advanced  a  considerable  distance,  until  they  drew  upon  them 
selves  an  intensely  hot  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery.  This  was  a  trying 
moment.  The  volunteers  expected  much  of  the  regulars,  and  gazed 
upon  them  as  they  stood  in  unbroken  line,  receiving  the  fire,  and  return- 


OF    THE    WAR. 


171 


ing  it  with  fatal  precision.  Impressions  and  resolutions  are  formed  on 
the  battle-field  in  an  instant.  The  impression  at  this  moment  was  a 
happy  one,  and  Heintzelman's  brigade  coming  up  into  line,  our  forces 
steadily  advanced  upen  the  retreating  rebels.  The  batteries,  which  had 
been  meanwhile  recruited  with  men  and  horses,  renewed  their  fire  with 
increased  effect,  and  our  supremacy  upon  the  field  was  apparent.  The 
enemy's  fire  was  now  terrific.  Shell,  round-shot  and  grape  from  their 
batteries  covered  the  field  with  clouds  of  dust,  and  many  a  gallant  fel 
low  fell  in  that  brief  time.  At  this  juncture  the  volunteers,  who  hither 
to  had  behaved  nobly,  seeing  their  ranks  thinned  out,  many  losing 
their  field  and  company  officers,  lost  confidence,  and  in  a  panic  fell  back. 
Three  fresh  regiments  coming  on  the  field  at  this  time,  would  have 
formed  a  nucleus  upon  which  a  general  rally  could  have  been  effected, 
but  while  the  enemy  had  reenforcements  pouring  in  upon  them  momen 
tarily,  our  entire  force  was  in  the  field  and  badly  cut  up.  Thus  was 
our  action  maintained  for  hours.  The  panic  was  momentarily  increas 
ing.  Regiments  were  observed  to  march  up  in  good  order,  discharge 
one  volley,  and  then  fall  back  in  confusion.  But  there  was  no  lack  of 
gallantry,  generally  speaking,  and  not  a  great  many  manifestations  of 
cowardice.  Our  artillery,  which  made  sad  havoc  upon  the  rebels,  had 
spent  their  ammunition  or  been  otherwise  disabled  by  this  time,  and  in 
the  absence  of  reenforcements,  a  retreat  was  inevitable.  The  time  for 
the  last  attack  had  now  come.  Nearly  all  of  the  rebel  batteries  were  in 
place,  though  silent.  There  was  a  calm — an  indescribable  calm.  Every 
man  on  the  field  felt  it.  I  doubt  if  any  one  could  describe  it.  General 
McDowell  was  near  the  front  of  our  lines,  mounted  on  his  gray  charger. 
And  here  let  me  say,  emphatically,  that,  whatever  may  be  the  criticisms 
upon  his  conduct  by  the  military  or  the  abominable  stay-at-honie  news 
paper  scribblers  and  politicians,  no  braver  man  trod  that  turf  at  Manas- 
sas  than  General  McDowell.  Major  Sykes'  battalion  of  eight  companies, 
five  of  Third  infantry,  two  of  the  Second,  and  one  of  the  Eighth,  were 
marched  several  hundred  yards  to  the  right,  and  formed  the  right  flank 
of  the  line.  Several  volunteer  regiments  were  deployed  as  skirmishers 
on  the  centre  and  left.  Thus  they  advanced  to  the  crest  of  the  hill. 
The  enemy  met  them  with  batteries  and  musketry  in  front,  and  two  bat 
teries  and  a  thousand  cavalry  on  the  right.  The  fire  was  terrific.  We 
maintained  our  position  for  a  half  hour.  Then  it  w as  discovered  that 
the  rebel  cavalry  were  attempting  to  outflank  our  right.  We  had  no 
force  to  resist  them,  and  the  bugle  of  the  regulars  sounded  the  march  in 
retreat.  This,  so  far  as  we  were  concerned,  was  conducted  in  good 
order.  On  Major  Sykes  was  imposed  the  responsible  duty  of  covering 
the  retreat  of  the  army.  In  this  he  was  assisted  on  part  of  the  route 
by  the  United  States  cavalry,  under  Major  Palmer.  The  enemy  followed 


172  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

us  with  their  artillery  and  cavalry,  shelling  us  constantly,  until  we 
reached  Centreville.  Here  we  bivouacked  for  an  hour,  and  then  again 
took  up  the  line  of  march." 

This  speaks  for  the  regulars,  but.does  meager  justice  to  those 
many  gallant  regiments  that  bore  the  brunt  of  the  fight ;  while 
it  omits  the  most  material  incidents  of  the  retreat  Blenker's 
troops  (four  regiments  from  Mills'  division)  covered  the  retreat 
— being  specially  detailed  as  the  reserve  and  to  hold  the  heights 
of  Centreville. 

From  another  more  detailed  account  we  glean  such  items  as 
will,  taken  in  connection  with  the  above,  give  a  consistent  idea 
of  the  character  of  the  contest. 

"  On  a  line,  right  and  left  with  Fairfax,  the  entire  column 
halted  and  bivouacked  during  the  night  of  Wednesday  the 
17th.  Beyond  a  false  alarm  caused  by  the  discharge  of  a  sen 
tinel's  musket,  which  aroused  the  entire  camp,  and  placed  the 
division  under  arms,  nothing  of  any  account  occurred.  Eleven 
rebel  soldiers  belonging  to  the  Sixth  Alabama  regiment,  and 
two  citizens,  were  captured  by  the  Fire  Zouaves  and  brought 
to  Colonel  Blenker,  who  commanded  them  to  the  lock-up  un 
der  a  strong  guard.  At  eight  o'clock  A.  M.,  on  the  18th,  we 
broke  camp  and  proceeded  to  Centreville,  where  the  Fifth 
division  arrived  in  advance  of  all  others.  Our  march  to  this 
spot  was  difficult  and  dangerous.  The  pioneers  worked  like 
beavers ;  the  roads  were  barricaded  to  such  an  extent,  that  we 
had  to  cut  our  way  inch  by  inch.  The  road  being  straight 
through  heavy  pine  woods,  we  were  compelled  to  throw  out 
skirmishers  on  our  right  and  left,  to  guard  against  a  surprise 
attack. 

"  At  Centreville,  we  remained  from  Thursday  morning  until 
Sunday  the  21st,  the  day  of  the  memorable  battle  of  Bull's 
Hun.  While  the  Fifth  division  was  encamped  in  the  valley, 
about  half-a-mile  from  Centreville,  the  right  flank  of  the  grand 
column  arrived,  and  a  portion  of  it,  in  command  of  General 
Tyler,  was  sent  in  advance  towards  Bull's  Eun  Creek,  to  recon 
noitre  the  enemy's  position  and  detect  his  batteries. 

"On  Friday  morning  the  Secretary  of  War,  accompanied  by 


OF     THE     WAR.  173 

Colonel  Scott  and  Mr.  Moore,  his  private  secretary,  arrived  at 
the  encampments,  to  note  the  position  and  condition  of  the 
troops.  It  was  soon  rumored  that  General  Scott  was  at  Centre- 
ville,  and  great  enthusiasm  was  manifested  by  the  soldiers 
when  they  were  told  that  the  veteran  Commander-in-Chief  was 
among  them.  The  statement,  however,  was  false,  for  the  hero 
of  a  hundred  battles  was  not  there  pro.  persons.  In  the  even 
ing,  the  commanding  officers  were  invited  to  a  council  of  war 
at  the  quarters  of  General  McDowell. 

"  The  orders  of  General  Tyler,  it  is  understood,  were  specific 
not  to  give  the  enemy  battle ;  but  the  skirmishers  of  the 
Twelfth  New  York  volunteers  were  scarcely  one  mile  and  a 
half  from  Centreville,  before  a  masked  battery  opened  upon 
them,  killing  and  wounding  a  number  of  the  men.  The  First 
Massachusetts,  Second  Wisconsin,  and  First  Minnesota  regi 
ments  suffered  badly.  The  Twelfth  regiment  retreated  in 
disorder.  The  Sixty-ninth,  Colonel  Corcoran,  and  the  Seventy- 
ninth,  Colonel  Cameron,  both  New  York  State  militia,  came 
up  to  reenforce  our  troops,  but  arrived  too  late  to  render  any 
effectual  service.  In  fact  they  did  not  even  have  an  opportu 
nity  to  participate  in  this  fight,  all  the  troops  having  been 
ordered  back  to  Centreville  first.  The  Twelfth  New  York 
volunteers  and  the  First  Massachusetts  volunteers  suffered 
most;  their  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  could  not 
have  been  less  than  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty.  In  the  evening,  however,  those  regiments,  besides  the 
Connecticut  volunteers,  were  moved  forward,  and  camped 
upon  the  late  battle-field,  the  enemy  having  retreated  from 
their  position.  With  the  exception  of  driving  in  our  pickets, 
the  capture  of  a  rebel  named  Wingfield,  by  Captain  Forstner, 
of  the  Eighth  regiment  New  York  volunteers,  and  the  sur 
render  of  an  orderly  sergeant,  named  Leadbeater,  of  the 
Virginia  Ninth,  our  camps  remained  quiet  until  Sunday 
morning. 

"  Early  Sunday  morning  the  divisions  began  to  move.  The 
Warrington  road  was  taken  by  the  centre  column ;  and  General 
McDowell  directed  Colonel  Heintzelman  to  march  with  his 
P2 


174  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

division  in  that  direction.  Sherman's  battery,  Lieutenant 
Haynes'  thirty-pound  rifled  siege  gun,  Parrott's  patent,  and 
Carlisle's  battery  accompanied  this  division.  Further  to  the 
right,  was  Colonel  Hunter's,  Franklin's,  Keyes'  and  Porter's 
divisions.  Each  of  them  were  supported  by  artillery.  At  six 
o'clock,  Lieutenant  Haynes  opened  the  ball  by  sending  a  shot 
from  his  battery,  which  he  repeated  alternately  for  upwards  of 
an  hour,  without  receiving  any  reply  from  the  enemy.  Finally, 
the  rebels  responded  with  some  grape  and  canister,  which  was 
duly  appreciated  and  returned  with  interest.  The  rebels 
seemingly  had  the  proper  range  of  their  guns. 

"  The  firing  then  became  general,  and  the  enemy  slowly 
retreated,  followed  closely  by  our  troops.  An  assault  was 
contemplated ;  and  the  Sixty -ninth,  Seventy-ninth,  and  Fire 
Zouaves  were  ordered  to  storm  the  battery.  These  valiant 
soldiers  steadily  advanced  under  a  galling  fire,  and  were  almost 
in  possession  of  the  guns,  when  a  tremendous  volley  raked 
their  front,  and  they  were  compelled  to  fall  back.  The  reason 
of  the  repulse  was  obvious.  The  field  officers  made  a  great 
mistake  in  attempting  to  carry  a  battery  from  the  front,  and 
neglected  to  deploy  on  the  flanks.  From  this  instant  the  fight 
became  more  general.  The  entire  column  on  the  right  now 
pressed  forward,  and  the  Fire  Zouaves,  the  Sixty-ninth,  and 
Seventy -ninth  regiments  had  actually  captured  three  masked 
batteries,  when  an  immense  troop  of  cavalry  advanced,  and 
commenced  cutting  the  gallant  men  to  pieces.  The  Zouaves 
lay  flat  on  their  faces  to  load,  and  their  fire  was  so  steady  and 
accurate,  that  whoever  was  hit  by  them  was  seen  to  bite  the 
dust. 

"  Colonel  Cameron,  of  the  Highlanders,  gallantly  led  on  his 
men  to  the  charge.  The  brave  Scotchmen  were  so  eager  for 
the  fight,  that  some  of  them  actually  stripped  off  their  shoes 
and  coats  and  rushed  upon  the  enemy.  The  colonel  of  this 
fine  regiment  did  not  live  long  enough  to  see  the  valiant  deeds 
of  those  whom  he  commanded,  for,  after  discharging  bis 
revolver  twice,  and  while  in  the  act  of  shooting  the  third  time, 
a  ball  from  a  musket  penetrated  his  left  breast,  and  he  fell 


OF     THE     WAR.  175 

from  his  horse  upon  the  field.  Instead  of  becoming  disheart 
ened  by  this  event,  the  gallant  Highlanders  pushed  on,  encou 
raged  by  the  brave  Major  McClelland  (Lieutenant-Colonel 
Elliott  not  being  on  the  ground)  in  their  charge  on  the  enemy. 
The  Sixty -ninth  regiment,  Colonel  Corcoran,  also  evinced  the 
most  unflinching  courage,  and  the  only  charge  that  in  any  way 
approaches  that  of  the  rebel  cavalry,  was  the  famous  charge  at 
Balaklava  ;  and  it  has  yet  to  be  proved  whether  it  was  so  gal 
lantly  resisted  as  the  charge  was  by  these  three  New  York 
regiments.  The  Ehode  Island,  Maine,  Connecticut,  Wisconsin, 
Massachusetts,  and  the  rest  of  the  New  York  regiments  all 
fought  furiously,  regardless  of  danger.  The  New  York 
Seventy -first  and  Eighth  regiments  also  signalized  themselves, 
and  clearly  demonstrated  that  their  military  training  was  not 
altogether  confined  to  parading  on  Broadway  in  full  dress 
uniform.  These  men,  although  their  term  of  service  was 
about  to  expire,  did  not  flinch  a  hair  from  the  duty  they  owed 
to  their  country,  and  sprang  forward  to  the  charge,  although 
their  ranks  were  thinned. 

"  The  Khode  Island  battery  did  good  service,  the  enemy  at 
one  time  took  the  guns,  but  the  gallant  boys  recaptured  them 
with  considerable  slaughter.  Thus  the  fight  raged  for  nine 
consecutive  hours  without  interruption.  When  our  troops  in 
the  first  place  came  upon  the  battle-field,  on  double-quick 
time,  they  were  exhausted  to  such  an  extent  on  reaching  the 
ground,  that  their  tongues  actually  hung  out  of  their  mouths. 
The  poor  soldiers  suffered  terribly  for  the  want  of  drinking 
water,  and  whenever  a  rill  or  a  moist  place  was  discovered, 
the  half-famished  men  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground, 
licking  the  moisture.  According  to  instructions,  General  Pat 
terson  was  to  have  come  to  the  reenforcement  of  our  division, 
and  was  expected  at  Centreville  at  twelve  o'clock  noon.  Had 
he  arrived,  our  weary  troops  would  have  been  relieved  and 
given  time  to  rest,  while  the  attack  would  have  been  followed 
up.  Everything  went  on  gloriously  until  about  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  and  although  a  goodly  number  of  our  men 
were  killed,  still  the  spirit  of  those  remaining  was  unbroken. 


176  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

but  physically  they  were  unable  to  maintain  their  position 
much  longer. 

"  Captain  Ay  res'  battery  and  a  portion  of  Kickett's  battery 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  but  were  retaken  after  an 
immense  sacrifice  of  life.  A  regiment  of  Black  cavalry  made 
a  circuitous  dash  at  our  right  and  left  flanks,  which  was  ob 
served  by  the  Zouaves.  They  immediately  fell  to  the  ground, 
and  each  marked  his  man.  Some  picked  off  two  and  three, 
and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  from  their  first  appearance  the 
black  cavalry  horses  were  seen  dashing  back  riderless.  Only 
a  few  of  this  troop  returned,  out  of  about  eight  hundred  men. 

"  About  half-past  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  terrible 
dash  of  cavalry  and  a  fierce  charge  of  artillery  was  made  at 
our  exhausted  troops.  This  charge  did  the  most  devastating 
damage,  mowing  down  everything  in  its  furious  career.  The 
agonized  shrieks  of  the  wounded,  the  terrible  roar  of  artillery, 
snorting  of  frightened  animals,  tended  to  strike  terror  into  the 
hearts  of  the  soldiers.  In  this  charge,  Griffin's,  Bicket's  and 
the  Ehode  Island  batteries  were  taken.  Those  in  citizen's 
dress  became  alarmed  and  took  to  their  heels,  taking  what 
ever  conveyance  they  could  lay  their  hands  upon.  From  them 
the  teamsters,  some  five  hundred,  who  had  driven  their  wag 
ons  further  in  advance  than  was  any  necessity  for,  took  fright. 
The  road  being  very  narrow,  in  fact  a  gorge,  the  ponderous 
vehicles  could  not  be  turned,  and  in  many  cases  the  cowardly 
drivers  cut  the  traces,  mounted  their  steeds  and  rode  off,  leav 
ing  the  valuables  which  were  entrusted  to  their  care  by  the 
Government  to  take  care  of  itself.  Thus  thousands  of  dollars 
worth  of  provisions  were  left  behind.  The  army  wagons  dash 
ing  down  the  road,  spread  the  panic  among  the  citizens,  who 
made  all  possible  haste  to  leave  so  hot  a  neighborhood. 

"  Colonel  Miles  in  the  meantime  had  received  instructions 
to  move  his  reserve  forward,  and  the  German  brigade,  under 
Colonel  Blenker,  following  Green's,  Hunt's  and  Tidball's  bat 
teries,  started  on  a  double-quick  to  the  scene  of  battle.  The 
brigade,  however,  had  scarcely  advanced  three  miles  from  Cen- 
treville  before  the  entire  arrny  came  along,  every  man  looking 


OF     THE     WAR.  177 

out  for  himself.  Through  the  firmness  of  Colonel  Blenker,  a 
short  stand  was  made  at  Centreville,  and  the  flying  troops 
somewhat  reassured.  All  the  threats,  promises  and  denunci 
ations  were  of  no  avail,  and  the  only  course  to  be  pursued  was 
to  cover  the  retreat  as  much  as  possible  in  case  of  a  pursuit 
The  troops  reached  Fairfax  in  safety,  and  those  regiments 
that  were  sent  into  Virginia  on  Sunday  were  ordered  back, 
and  joined  the  column  of  the  retreating  forces.  Between 
Washington  and  Alexandria  all  travelling  communication  was 
cut  off  by  the  Government,  so  as  not  to  allow  the  panic- 
stricken  soldiers  to  push  into  the  Capital." 

As  might  be  expected,  the  most  intense  feeling  pervaded 
all  classes.  The  defeat,  at  the  very  moment  of  victory,  was 
mortifying,  but  the  rout  and  demoralization  was  mortifying 
in  the  extreme.  The  public  in  its  eager  desire  to  find  some 
palliation  for  the  disaster,  sought  victims  for  its  blame ;  and 
the  Secretary  of  "War — the  "  On  to  Eichmond  !"  press — the 
Congressmen  who  had  goaded  General  Scott  by  their  displays 
of  temper  at  his  deliberate  way  of  pressing  the  campaign — all 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  indignant  people.  But,  as  the 
excitement  of  the  moment  cleared  away,  and  matters  came  to 
be  understood,  attention  was  directed  to  the  reenforcements 
received  by  Beauregard — Johnson's  entire  army  from  Win 
chester  :  why  were  they  allowed  to  escape  Patterson's  heavy 
columns  sent  specifically  to  engage  the  rebel,  at  every  hazard, 
and  thus  to  keep  him  away  from  Manassas  ?  That  failure  to 
engage  resulted,  as  Scott  foreknew  it  must,  in  overpowering 
McDowell's  thirty-two  thousand  men.  Had  Patterson  detain 
ed  Johnson,  as  ordered,  all  would  have  been  well,  and  "  On 
to  Eichmond !"  would  have  been,  in  all  probability,  a  fulfilled 
command. 

How  inscrutable  are  the  ways  of  Providence !  Had  the 
rebels  been  defeated  at  Bull  Euii  and  forced  from  Manassas, 
an  armistice  might  have  followed — doubtless  would  have  fol 
lowed  ;  when  a  "  settlement"  would  have  replaced  the  rebels 
in  power  as  in  the  past,  to  domineer  over,  to  browbeat  and  in 
sult,  to  cast  a  stigma  upon,  the  North  and  its  Free  State  senti- 
23 


178  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

ment,  and  have  only  postponed  the  day  of  final  decision  of  the 
great  principles  of  Government  involved.  That  defeat  called 
forth  the  yet  but  half-aroused  sentiment  of  the  North,  con 
vincing  the  people  of  the  true  nature  of  the  struggle,  and  com 
manding  those  mighty  resources  which  alone  were  capable  of 
finally  crushing  out  the  rebellion  to  the  last  degree,  leaving 
the  great  principle  of  the  supremacy  of  the  Central  Govern 
ment  no  longer  questioned,  and  the  right  of  the  majority  to 
rule  a  fixed  fact. 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  BULL  KUN. 

A  VOLUME  would  scarcely  suffice  to  contain  all  the  stories 
related  of  haps  and  mishaps,  personal  achievements  and  adven 
tures,  incidents  and  anecdotes  of  the  field  of  Bull  Kun.  We 
can  devote  but  a  section  to  them,  showing  such  as  seem  to 
illustrate,  in  an  indirect  way,  the  fortunes  and  circumstances 
of  the  struggle. 

The  battle  consisted  of  a  succession  of  fires  from  masked 
batteries,  which  opened  in  every  direction,  (when  one  was 
silenced,  its  place  was  supplied  by  two,)  and  in  the  daring 
charges  of  our  infantry  in  unmasking  them.  The  Second  Ohio 
and  Second  New  York  militia  were  marched  by  flank  through 
the  woods  by  a  new-made  road,  within  a  mile  of  the  main 
road,  when  they  came  on  a  battery  of  eight  guns,  with  four 
regiments  flanked  in  the  rear.  Our  men  were  immediately 
ordered  to  lie  down  on  either  side  of  the  road,  in  order  to  allow 
two  pieces  of  artillery  to  pass  through  and  attack  the  work, 
when  this  battery  opened  upon  us,  arid  killed,  on  the  third 
round,  Lieutenant  Dempsey,  of  company  G,  New  York  Second, 


OF     THE     WAR.  179 

and  William  Maxwell,  a  drummer,  and  seriously  wounding 
several  others.  Our  troops  were  kept  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  under  a  galling  fire,  they  not  being  able  to  exchange 
shots  with  the  enemy,  although  within  a  stone's  throw  of  their 
batteries.  They  succeeded  in  retiring  in  regular  order,  and 
with  their  battery. 

The  most  gallant  charge  of  the  day  was  made  by  the  New 
York  Sixty-ninth,  Seventy-ninth,  and  Thirteenth,  who  rushed 
up  upon  one  of  the  batteries,  firing  as  they  proceeded,  with 
perfect  eclat,  and  attacking  it  with  the  bayonet's  point.  The 
yell  of  triumph  seemed  to  carry  all  before  it.  They  found 
that  the  rebels  had  abandoned  the  battery,  and  only  taken  one 
gun,  but  this  success  was  acquired  only  after  a  severe  loss  of 
life,  in  which  the  Sixty-ninth  most  severely  suffered.  The 
Zouaves  also  distinguished  themselves  by  their  spirited  assaults 
on  the  batteries,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 

Colonel  Cameron  seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  of  his 
death.  In  a  conversation  with  him  at  his  tent,  on  the  evening 
prior  to  the  battle,  he  said  that  he  had  accepted  the  command 
of  the  gallant  Highlanders  because  he  admired  them,  and  inas 
much  as  he  had  only  a  short  time  to  live,  he  might  as  well 
devote  it  to  his  country.  He  asked  a  correspondent  whether 
he  was  going  to  the  battle-field.  Eeceiving  an  affirmative 
answer,  he  said  :  "  Good  bye,  God  bless  you.  We  may  meet 
again,  but  I  am  afraid  not  in  this  world."  Some  sixteen  hours 
afterwards  the  gallant  Colonel  was  shot  from  his  horse  and 
killed. 

A  member  of  the  Sixty-ninth  thus  wrote  of  the  services  of 
that  splendid  regiment  (composed  wholly  of  Irish,  drawn  from 
the  City  of  New  York,  and  commanded  by  Colonel  Corcoran)-: 

"  About  ten  o'clock  we  discovered  two  batteries,  and  drove 
the  enemy  out.  The  Sixty -ninth  advanced.  We  went  off  at 
a  ran,  but  could  not  overtake  the  enemy,  as  they  scattered  in 
every  direction  through  the  woods.  We  kept  up  the  run, 
turned  to  the  right,  waded  through  streams,  climbed  steep 
hills,  left  our  battery  behind  us,  and  out-flanked  the  enemy, 
and  came  on  them  when  we  were  not  expected.  The  Louisiana 


180  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

Zouaves  were  doing  big  damage  when  we  came  on  them.  We 
gave  a  yell  that  could  be  heard  far  above  the  roar  of  the  can 
non.  We  fired  into  them,  and  charged  them  with  the  bayonet. 
They  were  panic-striken  and  fled.  We  covered  the  field  with 
their  dead.  Haggarty  rushed  forward  to  take  a  prisoner,  and 
lost  his  life.  The  man  turned  and  shot  him  through  the  heart. 
We  drove  the  enemy  before  us  for  some  distance,  then  got  into 
line  and  had  them  surrounded.  General  McDowell  came  up 
just  then,  took  off  his  hat,  and  said,  '  You  have  gained  the 
victory.'  Our  next  fly  was  at  a  South  Carolina  regiment.  We 
killed  about  three  hundred  of  them.  After  fighting  hard  for 
some  time,  we  cleared  the  field  of  all  the  enemy.  The  enemy 
again  rallying,  the  real  fight  then  commenced.  We  were  drawn 
up  in  line,  and  saw  the  other  regiments  trying  to  take  the 
masked  batteries.  They  were  cut  to  pieces  and  scattered.  We 
were  then  ordered  forward  to  attack  the  batteries.  We  fought 
desperately,  but  we  were  cut  down.  We  lost  our  flag,  but 
took  it  back  again  with  the  assistance  of  a  few  of  the  Firemen 
Zouaves,  who  fought  like  devils.  We  charged  a  second  time, 
but  were  mowed  down  by  the  grape  and  rifle  of  the  enemy. 
We  came  together  again,  to  make  another  charge,  but  we  could 
not  get  together  over  two  hundred  men.  We  formed  into  a 
hollow  square,  when  we  saw  the  enemy  turn  out  their  cavalry, 
about  a  mile  in  length,  and  the  hills  all  about  covered  with 
them,  trying  to  surround  us.  All  the  regiments  on  our  side 
were  scattered  and  in  disorder,  except  what  were  left  of  the 
Sixty -ninth.  The  Fire  Zouaves  had  to  retreat,  leaving  a  num 
ber  of  wounded  on  the  field.  What  we  could  gather  together 
of  our  regiment  marched  back  to  Fort  Corcoran  during  the 
night." 

Governor  Sprague,  of  Khode  Island,  had  two  horses  killed 
under  him  during  the  action.  After  the  first  one  was  killed, 
by  his  head  being  shot  away  by  a  cannon-ball,  his  men  came 
around  him  and  insisted  upon  his  going  to  the  rear.  This  he 
positively  refused  to  do,  and  continued  throughout  the  engage- 
fluent  at  the  head  of  his  brigade,  gallantly  leading  them  on 
and  encouraging  their  efforts. 


OF    THE     WAR.  181 

Colonel  Cowdin,  of  the  First  Massachusetts  regiment,  was 
leaning  his  back  against  a  tree  in  a  very  exposed  position, 
when  a  friend  expostulated  with  him  for  his  recklessness. 
The  Colonel  said  the  bullet  was  not  moulded  that  would  shoot 
him  that  day.  In  a  few  seconds  after,  another  personal  friend 
came  up,  and  putting  out  his  hand  to  the  Colonel,  the  latter 
stooped  a  little  to  grasp  it,  when  a  conical  cannon-ball  struck 
on  the  spot  where  an  instant  before  was  the  head  of  Colonel 
Cowdin,  shattering  the  tree  into  splinters.  The  Colonel 
turned  about  calmly  and  remarked,  "  that  he  was  certain  that 
the  ball  that  would  kill  him  was  not  yet  cast ;"  and  proceeded 
to  issue  his  commands. 

The  brave  conduct  of  Colonel  Hunter,  commanding  the 
Second  division,  deserves  special  notice.  He  was  shot  in  the 
throat,  while  directing  in  person  the  Second  Ehode  Island 
regiment,  in  its  gallant  assault  upon  a  battery.  Just  before 
being  wounded,  he  had  given  an  order  to  one  of  his  aids  for  a 
distant  regiment.  The  aid  was  about  galloping  off,  when  he 
saw  the  Colonel  fall  from  his  horse.  He  immediately  came  to 
his  assistance,  but  the  Colonel  motioned  him  off,  telling  him 
"  deliver  your  order,  and  never  mind  me — I  will  take  care  of 
myself." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Boone,  of  Mississippi,  one  of  the  few 
prisoners  taken  by  our  troops,  states  that  had  the  Union  troops 
held  their  ground  on  the  other  side  of  Bull  Eun  for  half-an- 
hour  longer,  the  entire  rebel  army  would  have  given  way. 

A  Mississippi  soldier  was  taken  prisoner  by  Hasbrouck,  of 
the  Wisconsin  Second  regiment.  He  turned  out  to  be  Briga 
dier-Quartermaster  Pryor.  He  was  captured,  with  his  horse, 
as  he  by  accident  rode  into  our  lines.  He  discovered  himself 
by  remarking  to  Hasbrouck,  "  We  are  getting  badly  cut  to 
pieces."  "What  regiment  do  you  belong  to?"  asked  Has 
brouck.  "  The  Nineteenth  Mississippi,"  was  the  answer. 
"  Then,  you  are  my  prisoner,"  said  Hasbrouck. 

The  Fire  Zouaves  received  the  special  attention  of  the  "  Black 
Horse  Cavalry" — the  pride  of  the  Southern  army,  who  had 
Q 


182  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

sworn  to  wipe  out  the  "  red  devils"  from  New  York.  The 
story  of  their  assault  was  thus  told  : 

"  They  came  upon  the  Zouave  regiment  at  a  gallop,  and 
were  received  by  the  brave  firemen  upon  their  poised  bayo 
nets,  followed  instantly  by  a  volley,  from  which  they  broke 
and  fled,  though  several  of  the  Zouaves  were  cut  down  in  the 
assault  They  quickly  returned,  with  their  forces  doubled — 
perhaps  six  or  seven  hundred — and  again  they  dashed  with 
fearful  yells  upon  the  excited  Zouaves.  This  time  they  bore 
an  American  flag,  and  a  part  of  the  Zouaves  supposed  for  an 
instant  that  they  were  friends,  whom  they  had  originally  mis 
taken.  The  flag  was  quickly  thrown  down,  however,  the 
horses  dashed  upon  the  regiment,  the  ruse  was  discovered, 
and  the  slaughter  commenced.  No  quarter,  no  halting,  no 
flinching  now,  marked  the  rapid  and  death-dealing  blows  of 
our  men,  as  they  closed  in  upon  the  foe,  in  their  madness  and 
desperation.  Our  brave  fellows  fell,  the  ranks  filled  up,  the 
sabers,  bowie-knives  and  bayonets  glistened  in  the  sunlight, 
horse  after  horse  went  down,  platoon  after  platoon  disappeared 
— the  rattle  of  musketry,  the  screams  of  the  rebels,  the  shout 
of  '  Remember  Ellsworth  !'  from  the  lungs  of  the  Zouaves,  and 
the  yells  of  the  wounded  and  crushed  belligerents  filled  the 
air,  and  a  terrible  carnage  succeeded.  The  gallant  Zouaves 
fought  to  the  death,  and  were  sadly  cut  up  ;  but  of  those 
hundreds  of  Black  Horse  Guards,  not  many  left  that  bloody 
recounter  !" 

When  the  Fire  Zouaves  stormed  the  masked  battery  at  Bull 
Run,  and  were  forced  to  fall  back  by  the  grapeshot  and  cav 
alry  charge,  one  of  them  was  stunned  by  a  blow  from  a  saber, 
and  fell  almost  under  one  of  the  enemy's  guns.  The  Seces 
sionists  swarmed  around  him  like  bees,  but  feigning  death,  in 
the  excitement  he  was  unnoticed,  and  when  a  sally  was  made, 
managed  to  crawl  back  into  the  thicket  inside  the  Confederate 
lines.  Here  he  waited  some  time  for  an  opportunity  to  escape, 
but  finding  none,  concluded  he  would  make  the  best  of  a  bad 
bargain,  and  if  he  was  lost,  wuld  have  a  little  revenge  before- 


OF    THE     WAR. 

hand.  Hastily  stripping  the  body  of  a  Confederate  near  by, 
he  donned  his  uniform,  and  seizing  a  rifle,  made  his  way  to 
the  intrenchments,  where  he  joined  the  Secessionists,  and, 
watching  his  opportunities,  succeeded  in  picking  off  several  of 
their  most  prominent  officers  whenever  they  advanced  out 
upon  the  troops.  Here  he  remained  some  time,  until,  think 
ing  it  best  to  leave  before  his  disguise  should  be  discovered, 
he  joined  a  party  who  were  about  to  charge  upon  our  forces, 
and  was,  to  his  gratification,  again  captured,  but  this  time  by 
his  own  men. 

A  remarkable  incident  was  related  of  a  private  of  the  New 
York  Twenty-eighth  regiment  of  volunteers :  He  had  been 
wounded  in  the  groin,  and  was  hobbling  off  the  field,  when  he 
was  pursued  and  overtaken  by  three  rebels.  As  the  foremost 
one  came  up  he  laid  his  hand  heavily  upon  his  shoulder.  The 
soldier  stumbled  forward,  and  as  he  fell  he  drew  his  bayonet 
the  only  weapon  he  had — from  its  scabbard,  with  which  he 
run  the  rebel  through  the  body,  and,  at  the  same  time,  seized 
upon  his  captor's  revolver,  drew  it  from  the  belt,  and  shot  the 
other  two.  He  then  made  good  his  escape,  and  arrived  safely 
at  Washington. 

An  Ohio  paper  correspondent  adverted  to  the  services  of 
some  of  the  regiments  from  that  State  in  glowing  strains. 
He  said  : 

"  The  Ohio  regiments  were  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  but 
fortunately  lost  but  few  men.  The  First  regiment,  under 
Colonel  McCook,  has  covered  itself  with  glory.  They  were 
detailed  at  an  early  hour  in  the  day  to  hunt  up  batteries,  and 
they  seemed  to  understand  that  work  to  perfection.  The 
Grays  were  sent  out  as  skirmishers  early  in  the  morning,  and 
drove  in  the  pickets  of  the  rebels,  and  commenced  the  fight. 
These  two  Ohio  regiments  have  been  trained  by  Colonel 
McCook,  and  were  frequently  brought  right  into  the  very 
range  and  front  of  the  enemy's  most  terrible  and  formidable 
guns  ;  but  no  sooner  would  they  see  the  flash  than  every  man 
was  prostrate  upon*  his  face,  and  the  balls  and  grape  would 


184  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

pass  harmlessly  over  them  ;  then  they  would  up  and  at  them 
with  a  vengeance  in  double-quick  time." 

Colonel  McCook's  younger  brother — but  seventeen  years 
old — was  a  member  of  the  Second  Ohio  regiment,  and  was  left 
as  a  guard  to  the  hospital.  One  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  dash 
ed  upon  him  and  ordered  him  to  surrender  ;  the  brave  youth, 
with  fixed  bayonet,  steady  nerve,  and  cool  bearing,  replied, 
"  I  never  surrender  !"  The  father,  Judge  McCook,  who  had 
all  the  day  been  arduously  engaged  in  assisting  and  taking 
care  of  the  wounded,  bringing  them  in  from  the  field,  and 
that,  too,  at  the  imminent  peril  of  his  own  life,  was  in  the  hos 
pital  tent  and  heard  the  order  to  his  son,  and  saw  others  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry  near  by,  and  rushed  out,  and  speaking  in  a 
loud  tone,  "  Charley,  surrender,  for  God's  sake,  or  you  are 
lost."  Charley  turned  to  his  father,  and  with  all  the  lion  in 
his  countenance,  replied,  "  Father,  I  will  never  surrender  to 
a  rebel."  In  a  moment  a  ball  pierced  his  spine,  but  he  in 
stantly  discharged  his  musket  at  the  rebel  horseman,  and  laid 
him  low  in  death,  and  then  fell  himself.  The  rebels  then  un 
dertook  to  drag  him  off,  but  his  father  rushed  in  and  released 
him,  and  he  died  Monday  morning.  His  body  was  brought 
away  by  his  father,  and  was  sent  to  Ohio  for  burial.  The 
Colonel  McCook  above  alluded  to  was  afterwards  the  well 
known  General  McCook  in  Halleck's  army. 

Colonel  W.  E.  Montgomery,  for  thirty  years  an  efficient  offi 
cer  of  the  United  States  Army,  who  had  seen  service  where- 
ever  during  that  time  it  was  to  be  seen,  was  in  command  of 
the  First  New  Jersey  regiment.  In  the  midst  of  the  torrent 
of  the  retreat,  he  stemmed  its  tide,  forced  his  regiment  in  good 
order  through  its  surge  of  men  and  horses  and  wagons,  which 
carried  back  with  them  his  associate  regiment,  the  Second 
New  Jersey,  Colonel  McLean,  but  had  no  effect  on  him. 
With  exhortations,  remonstrances  and  bayonets,  he  checked, 
but  could  not  stop  the  disastrous  flight.  Abandoned  by  Colo 
nel  McLean  and  the  Second,  he  pressed  on  alone,  and  alone 
his  regiment  reached  the  field,  and  took  the  post  which  his 


OF     THE     WAR.  185 

orders  indicated,  formed  in  square  to  receive  the  enemy's  cav 
alry,  and  staid  Jive  hours  on  the  battle-field  waiting  for  orders. 

With  regard  to  this  flight,  much  was,  at  the  time,  written  as 
to  the  bad  effects  of  the  civilians  present.  It  was  stated  and 
believed  that  their  scampering  away  from  danger  first  alarmed 
the  teamsters,  and  thus  produced  the  panic.  It  would  appeal- 
that  a  few  men  here  and  there  in  citizens'  dress,  could  have 
very  little  to  do  in  creating  a  panic,  even  if  they  did  run. 
But  testimony  is  abundant  that  these  non-professional  sol 
diers  really  acted  a  noble  part — that  they,  in  reality,  greatly 
aided  in  restraining  the  headlong  flight  of  brave  regiments 
from  the  battle-field  An  eye-witness  •  wrote  to  the  National 
Intelligencer :  "  Whatever  credit  there  was  in  stopping  that 
rout,  is  due  wholly  to  Senators  Wade  and  Chandler ;  Eepre- 
sentatives  Blake,  Riddle  and  Morris ;  Mr.  Brown,  Sergeant-at- 
Arms  of  the  Senate  ;  Mr.  Eaton  of  Detroit,  and  Thomas  Brown 
of  Cleveland.  These  gentlemen,  armed  with  Maynard  rifles 
and  navy  revolvers,  sprang  suddenly  from  their  carriages  some 
three  miles  this  side  of  Centreville,  and,  presenting  their  wea 
pons,  in  loud  voices  commanded  the  fugitives  to  halt  and  turn 
back.  Their  bold  and  determined  manner  brought  most  at  that 
point  to  a  stand-still.  Many  on  horseback  attempted  to  dash 
by  them,  and  had  their  horses  seized  by  the  bits.  Some  of 
the  fugitives  were  armed,  and  menaced  these  gentlemen  ;  and 
one,  a  powerful  man,  supposed  to  be  a  teamster,  shot  Mr.  Eaton 
through  the  wrist,  as  he  held  his  horse  by  the  bridle-rein. 
None,  however,  were  permitted  to  pass,  except  an  army  cou 
rier,  who  exhibited  his  dispatches.  Mr.  Wade  and  his  party 
held  the  crowd  until  the  arrival  of  the  First  New  Jersey  regi 
ment,  then  on  its  way  toward  the  battle-ground,  the  Colonel 
of  which  turned  back  the  flying  soldiers  and  teamsters.  Two 
or  three  officers  were  stopped  and  turned  back."  We  are  glad 
to  record  this,  to  so  w ell-known  men,  simple  justice.  Congress 
man  Ely,  of  New  York,  was  taken  prisoner  in  his  efforts  to 
keep  the  men  up  to  the  assault. 

General  McDowell  was  so  overcome  by  fatigue,  that  while 
writing  a  short  dispatch  in  the  telegraph  office,  at  Fairfax,  ho 
Q2  24 


186  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

fell  asleep  three  times.  He  had  been  busy  all  the  night  pre 
ceding  in  making  preliminary  arrangements,  and  had  been  in 
the  saddle  from  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  ten  at  night. 
At  nine  and  a  half  o'clock  his  dispatch  was  received  at  Wash 
ington,  announcing  his  retreat,  and  his  purpose  to  make  a 
stand  at  Centre ville.  At  one  and  a  half  A.  M.  it  was  an 
nounced  that  he  would  fall  back  to  Fairfax.  It  was  left 
to  his  own  judgment  whether  to  retire  to  the  Potomac  line 
or  not. 

Regarding  the  barbarity  of  the  rebels,  the  stories  told  almost 
defied  belief.  The  New  York  Herald  correspondent  wrote : 
"  The  barbarity  practiced  by  the  rebels  towards  wounded  men 
in  this  encounter,  throws  to  the  winds  the  boasted  chivalry  of 
the  South,  and  their  assumption  of  Samaritan  tenderness. 
They  trampled  the  wounded  and  dying  victims  of  their  pow 
der  and  lead  to  the  ground — fired  upon  nurses  engaged  in  car 
rying  away  the  mortally  wounded — threw  hot  shot  into  build 
ings  used  as  hospitals,  setting  fire  to  them.  The  rebels 
engaged  with  our  forces  at  Bull's  Bun  committed  all  those 
diabolical  deeds,  which  have,  as  yet,  only  been  equalled  by  the 
East  India  Sepoys  and  the  Tartars  of  old.  They  commenced 
these  acts  on  Thursday,  this  side  of  Bull's  Eun,  on  the  wound 
ed  of  the  First  Massachusetts  and  Twelfth  New  York  volun 
teer  regiments,  and  continued  it  on  Sunday." 

The  Boston  Post  wrote  : 

"  But  where  shall  we  find  words,  in  this  enlightened  age, 
to  reprobate  the  infamy  of  their  conduct,  after  their  success, 
toward  our  noble  soldiers !  Are  soldiers  turned  butchers  ? 
Is  their  boasted  chivalry  a  mockery  ?  Who  can  read  without 
a  thrill  of  horror  the  loathsome  reports  of  their  brutality.  The 
wounded  are  fired  into  while  mangled  lying  on  the  field — the 
bleeding  soldiers  are  tied  to  trees  and  bayoneted — the  weapons 
of  the  fallen  soldier  are  taken  from  him  and  plunged  into  him, 
dead  or  dying.  A  Union  soldier  takes  up  the  wounded  rebel, 
ministers  to  him  a  cup  of  cold  water,  and  the  dastard  dis 
patches  his  benefactor  while  in  the  act !  To  what  depths  of 
barbarism  have  American  soldiers  stooped  in  their  treatment 


OF     THE     WAR. 


187 


of  their  fellow-citizens  !     The  blood  of  the  wronged  and  the 
outraged  cries  aloud  for  vengeance." 

The  incident  of  soldiers  sending  home  Zouave  skulls  as  tro 
phies  —  of  Zouaves  having  their  heads  cut  off  and  put  upon 
poles  —  confirmed  by  repeated  proofs  —  will  ever  remain  on 
record  to  add  to  the  weight  of  infamy  which  attaches  to  the 
Southern  cause. 


GENERAL     McCLELLAN. 


THE  reverse  at  Bull  Run  so  disorganized  —  if  not  demora 
lized  —  our  army  of  the  Potomac,  as  to  render  an  acting  General- 
in-Chief  necessary.  All  eyes  turned,  instinctively,  to  General 
McClellan,  whose  Western  Virginia  Campaign  had  just  closed, 
to  crown  him  with  the  laurels  of  a  great  commander.  His 
energy,  his  knowledge  of  his  profession,  his  physical  strength, 
the  prestige  of  his  name,  all  combined  to  render  him  qualified 
for  the  responsible  trust  of  bringing  order  out  of  that  chaos  at 
and  around  Washington  ;  and  he  was  called  immediately  (July 
22d)  to  the  .  General  command  of  the  field—  a  position  he 
assumed  August  1st,  1861. 

The  position  since  filled  so  eminently  by  this  General,  has 
rendered  his  reputation  world-wide,  and  renders  a  sketch  of  his 
life  eminently  proper,  if  we  would  answer  the  interest  now  felt 
in  his  life  ;  we  therefore  compile  from  such  sources  as  are 
available,  the  following  : 

George  B.  McClellan,  the  son  of  an  eminent  physician  at 
Philadelphia,  was  born  in  that  city,  December  3d,  1826.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen,  or  in  1842,  he  entered  the  West  Point 


188  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

Academy,  and  graduated  in  1846,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  at  tne 
head  of  his  class.  On  the  1st  of  July  of  that  year,  his  title 
was  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  of  Engineers. 

This  was  the  period  of  the  Mexican  war,  and  McClellan, 
about  the  age  of  Alexander  Hamilton  when  he  began  to  show 
extraordinary  ability,  was  called  into  active  service.  Congress 
(May  15th,  1846)  had  passed  an  act,  adding  a  company  of 
sappers,  miners,  and  pontoniers  to  the  corps  of  engineers,  and 
McClellan  was  made  Second  Lieutenant  in  this  company. 
Colonel  Totten  names  with  warm  approbation  his  great  exer 
tions,  with  two  others,  in  organizing  and  drilling  this  corps. 
As  the  recruits  assembled  at  West  Point,  they  were  at  once 
put  into  a  course  of  active  drill  as  infantry,  and  of  practical 
instruction  in  making  the  different  materials  used  in  sieges, 
running  saps,  and  forming  pontoons ;  and,  through  the  exer 
tions  of  three  officers  only,  when  they  sailed  from  West  Point 
(September  24th)  seventy-one  strong,  the  Colonel  says  they 
were  "  in  admirable  discipline."  This  company  was  first 
ordered  to  report  to  General  Taylor,  and  went  to  Camargo,  but 
were  then  ordered  to  countermarch  to  Matamoras,  and  move 
with  the  column  of  Patterson.  Here  Captain  Swift  and  nine 
teen  men  were  left  in  the  hospital,  and  from  that  time  until  a 
few  days  before  the  landing  at  Yera  Cruz,  the  company  was 
under  Lieutenant  Smith  (Gustavus  W.  Smith,  now  a  Major- 
General  in  the  rebel  army),  who  had  but  one  other  officer, 
Lieutenant  McClellan.  "  During  the  march,"  Colonel  Totten 
says,  "  to  Vitoria  from  Matamoras,  the  company,  then  reduced 
to  forty -five  effectives,  executed  a  great  amount  of  work  upon 
the  roads,  fords,  etc.,  as  it  did  in  proceeding  thence  to  Tampico, 
when  it  formed,  with  one  company  of  the  Third  and  one  of  the 
Seventh  infantry,  a  pioneer  party,  under  Captain  Henry  of  the 
Third  infantry.  The  detailed  reports  of  these  labors  exhibit 
the  greatest  efficiency  and  excellent  discipline  under  severe 
and  trying  circumstances,  Lieutenant  Smith  having  then  but 
one  officer,  Lieutenant  McClellan,  under  his  command." 

Colonel  Totten  at  Vera  Cruz,  saw  this  company,  now  re 
joined  by  its  captain,  land  with  the  first  line  on  the  beach 


OF     THE     WAB.  189 

under  General  Worth,  and  its  service  here.  "  During  tlie  siege 
of  Vera  Cruz,"  Colonel  Totten  says,  "I  was  witness  to  the 
great  exertions  and  service  of  this  company,  animated  by  and 
emulating  the  zeal  and  devotion  of  its  excellent  officers,  Lieu 
tenants  Smith,  McClellan,  and  Foster."  Until  the  surrender 
of  the  Castle,  Lieutenant  McClellan  was  engaged  in  the  most 
severe  and  trying  duties,  in  opening  paths  and  roads  to  facili 
tate  the  investment,  in  covering  reconnoisances,  and  in  the 
unceasing  toil  and  hardship  of  the  trenches.  "  The  total  of 
the  company,"  Colonel  Totten  writes,  "was  so  small,  and 
demands  for  its  aid  so  incessant,  that  every  man  may  be  said 
to  have  been  constantly  on  duty,  with  scarcely  a  moment  for 
rest  or  refreshment."  Captain  Swift  was  still  too  ill  for  such 
labors,  and  died  soon  afterwards ;  but,  Colonel  Totten  remarks, 
the  other  officers  directed  "  the  operations  of  the  siege  with 
unsurpassed  intelligence  and  zeal." 

Such  is  the  record  of  the  experience,  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
of  the  soldier  called  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Po 
tomac.  Let  the  next  be  related  in  the  official  words  of  Colonel 
Totten  : 

"  Severe  labors  followed  the  surrender  of  Vera  Cruz  and  its  castle,  and 
accompanied  the  march  to  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  in  which  the  com 
pany  displayed,  in  various  parts  of  the  field,  its  gallantry  and  efficiency. 
It  entered  the  city  of  Jalap  a  with  the  advance  of  Twiggs'  division,  and 
Puebla  with  the  advance  of  Worth's.  During  the  pause  at  the  latter 
place,  the  instruction  of  the  company  in  its  appropriate  studies  and  ex 
ercises  was  resumed  by  its  persevering  and  zealous  officers,  and  assist 
ance  was  given  by  all  in  the  repairs  of  the  defenses.  Marching  from 
Puebla  with  General  Twiggs1  division,  the  company  was  joined  to 
General  Worth  at  Chalon,  and  arrived  in  front  of  San  Antonio  on  the 
18th  of  August,  having  greatly  assisted  in  clearing  the  road  of  obstruc 
tions  placed  by  the  enemy." 

The  company,  on  the  19th,  was  ordered  to  take  the  head  of 
General  Pillow's  column,  at  St.  Augustine.  The  service  of  the 
company  was  notable,  and  is  specified  all  along  in  the  official 
reports.  Before  the  day  of  Contreras,  General  Twiggs,  on 
discovering  his  enemy  in  a  naturally  strong  position,  with 
breastworks  that  commanded  approach  in  every  direction,  dis- 


190  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

patched  two  engineers  to  reconnoitre,  one  of  whom  was  Lieu 
tenant  McClellari.  They  were  stopped  by  the  Mexican  pickets, 
had  their  horses  shot  under  them,  and  were  compelled  to 
return.  The  action  soon  commenced — the  battle  of  Contreras 
in  which  Lieutenant  McClellan  was  with  Magruder's  battery, 
which  rendered  splendid  service.  In  his  official  report,  Gen 
eral  Twiggs  thus  writes : 

"Lieutenant  George  B.  McClellan,  after  Lieutenant  Calendar  was 
wounded,  took  charge  of  and  managed  the  howitzer  battery  (Lieutenant 
Reno  being  detached  with  the  rockets)  with  judgment  and  success, 
until  it  became  so  disabled  as  to  require  shelter.  For  Lieutenant 
McClellan's  efficiency  and  gallantry  in  this  affair,  I  present  his  name  for 
the  favorable  consideration  of  the  General-in-Chief." 

After  a  night  of  exposure  to  a  pitiless  storm,  the  army 
fought  the  next  day,  August  20th,  the  battle  of  Cherubusco  ; 
and  that  fine  soldier,  General  Persifer  F.  Smith,  thus  completes 
the  record  of  McClellan  : 

"  Lieutenant  G.  W.  Smith,  in  command  of  the  engineer  company,  and 
Lieutenant  McClellan,  his  subaltern,  distinguished  themselves  through 
out  the  whole  of  the  three  actions.  Nothing  seemed  to  them  too  bold 
to  be  undertaken,  or  too  difficult  to  be  executed,  and  their  services  as 
engineers  were  as  valuable  as  those  they  rendered  in  battle,  at  the  head 
of  their  gallant  men." 

For  his  conduct  on  that  day  McClellan  was  breveted  First 
Lieutenant. 

Lieutenant  McClellan  was  breveted  Captain  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct  in  the  next  battle,  El  Molino  del  Eey ; 
but  declining,  he  was  still  Lieutenant  on  the  great  day  of 
Chepultepec,  and  the  General-in-Chief,  naming  him  with  four 
others,  uses  these  words :  "  Those  five  lieutenants  of  engineers 
won  the  admiration  of  all  about  them."  His  name  appears  in 
the  official  reports  in  connection  with  varied  and  most  arduous 
service.  On  the  night  of  the  llth  of  September,  Captain  Lee 
and  Lieutenants  Tower,  Smith,  and  McClellan,  with  a  company 
of  sappers,  were  employed  in  establishing  batteries  against 
Chepultepec,  which  were  actively  served  during  the  next  day 
(12th),  which  was  the  day  before  the  assault 


OF    THE     WAK.  191 

Lieutenant  McClellan,  long  before  daybreak  cf  the  13th,  was 
in  the  field,  and  Major  Smith,  of  the  Engineer  Corps,  thus  says 
of  his  morning's  work  :  "At  three  o'clock  a  party  of  the  sap 
pers  moved  to  the  large  convent  in  advance,  and  found  it 
unoccupied.  Lieutenant  McClellan  advanced  with  a  party 
into  the  Alamada,  and  reported,  at  daylight,  that  no  enemy 
was  to  be  seen.  The  sappers  then  moved  forward,  and  had 
reached  two  squares  beyond  the  Alamada,  when  they  were 
recalled.  This  company  was  under  senior  Lieutenant  Smith, 
and  was  engaged  during  the  day  in  street  fighting,  until  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  particularly  in  breaking  into 
houses  with  crowbars  and  axes.  Major  Smith  says :  "  Lieutenant 
McClellan  had  command  of  a  company  for  a  time  in  the  after 
noon,  while  Lieutenant  Smith  was  searching  for  powder  to  be 
used  in  blowing  up  houses  from  which  our  troops  had  been 
fired  upon  contrary  to  the  usages  of  war.  During  this  time, 
while  advancing  in  company,  he  reached  a  strong  position,  but 
found  himself  opposed  to  a  large  force  of  the  enemy.  He  had 
a  conflict  with  this  force,  which  lasted  some  time;  but  the 
advantage  afforded  by  his  position  enabled  him  at  length  to 
drive  it  off,  after  having  killed  more  than  twenty  of  its 
number." 

Such  is  the  official  record  of  McClellan,  so  far  as  brilliant 
special  service  is  concerned.  This,  however,  can  convey  no 
just  idea  of  the  labor  and  skill  that  are  required,  in  order  that 
lasting  honor  may  be  conferred  on  the  country.  It  is  the 
every  day  life  of  the  officer  that  is  keenly  watched  by  the 
men ;  and  what  is  said  of  McClellan  is,  that  it  was  so  marked 
by  thoroughness  as  to  command  confidence,  and  so  filled  with 
sympathy  as  to  win  esteem.  Chief-Engineer  Totten  thus  gives 
in  general  his  term  of  service :  "  Lieutenant  McClellan,  on  duty 
with  the  engineer  company  from  its  organization  at  West 
Point ;  in  the  siege  of  Yera  Cruz,  and  in  all  the  battles  of 
General  Scott's  march  to  the  city  of  Mexico."  The  company 
left  that  city  May  23d,  1848,  marched  to  Yera  Cruz,  and 
arrived  at  West  Point  on  the  22d  of  June. 

Lieutenant  McClellan  was  breveted  captain  for  gallant  and 


192  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

meritorious  conduct  in  battle  at  Chepultepec,  and  the  following 
year  (1848)  saw  him  commander  of  this  great  company  of 
sappers  and  miners  and  pontoniers.  He  continued  here  until 
1851,  but  the  military  routine  was  not  enough  for  him.  Dur 
ing  this  period  he  translated  from  the  French,  a  manual,  which 
has  become  the  text  book  of  the  service,  and  introduced  the 
bayonet  exercise  into  the  army.* 

Captain  McClellan's  next  service  was  to  superintend  the  con 
struction  of  Fort  Delaware,  in  the  fall  of  1851 ;  in  the  spring 
of  1852  he  was  assigned  to  duty  under  Major  Marcy  in  the 
expedition  that  explored  the  Bed  River  ;  and  then  ordered  as 
senior  engineer  to  Texas,  on  the  staff  of  General  P.  F.  Smith, 
with  whom  he  was  engaged  in  surveying  the  rivers  and  har 
bors  of  that  State.  * 

Captain  McClellan,  in  the  next  year,  was  one  of  the  engi 
neers  who  were  ordered  to  make  explorations  and  surveys  to 
ascertain  the  most  practicable  route  for  a  railroad  from  the 
Mississippi  Eiver  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  ;  and  among  other 
duties,  he  made  the  reconnoissance  of  the  Yakima  Pass,  among 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  most  direct  route  to  Puget 
Sound.  He  was  associated  in  the  exploration  of  the  forty- 
seventh  and  forty-ninth  parallels  of  north  latitude  with  Gover 
nor  Stevens,  of  Oregon,  f  The  Secretary  of  War,  Jefferson 
Davis,  in  his  official  report  to  Congress,  says  of  McClellan's 
services  : 

"  The  examination  of  the  approaches  and  passes  of  the  Cas 
cade  Mountains,  made  by  Captain  McClellan,  of  the  corps  of 

*  See  Victor's  Life  of  McClellan — Dime  Biographical  Series,  No.  12, 
page  25. 

t  The  results  of  these  laborious  surveys  on  the  northern  route,  formed 
Vol.  I.  of  the  twelve  large  quartos  published  by  Congress.  The  other 
volumes  were  devoted  to  the  exploration  of  various  other  routes  and 
sections — the  entire  series  forming  a  very  exhaustive  examination  of  the 
vast  wilds  between  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  western  declivity 
of  the  continent.  The  West  Point  education  of  the  explorers  proved  in 
an  eminent  degree  satisfactory.  The  surveys  demonstrated  that  its 
graduates  were  qualified  for  almost  any  duty. 


OF    THE    WAR.  193 

engineers,  presents  a  reconnoissance  of  great  value,  and,  though 
performed  under  adverse  circumstances,  exhibits  all  the  infor 
mation  necessary  to  determine  the  practicability  of  this  portion 
of  the  route,  and  reflects  the  highest  credit  on  the  capacity 
and  resources  of  that  officer."  Nor  was  this  the  whole  service 
of  this  indomitable  public  servant.  In  this  report,  its  closing 
words,  Secretary  Davis  says  :  "  Captain  McClellan,  of  the 
corps  of  engineers,  after  the  completion  of  his  field  operations, 
was  directed  to  visit  various  railroads,  and  to  collect  informa 
tion  and  facts  established  in  the  construction  and  working 
of  existing  roads,  to  serve  as  data  in  determining  the  practi 
cability  of  constructing  and  working  roads  over  the  several 
routes  explored.  The  results  of  his  inquiries  will  be  found  in 
a  very  valuable  memoir  herewith  submitted." 

This  allusion  to  McClellan's  labors,  succeeding  the  survey, 
deserves  further  mention.  He  was  chosen  to  investigate  the 
railway  system  of  the  United  States,  with  a  view  to  obtain  all 
the  data  on  construction,  equipping  and  running,  necessary  to 
give  the  Pacific  Eailway  the  benefit  of  all  recent  experience 
and  discoveries  in  its  construction  and  operation.  This  duty 
occupied  the  summer  of  1854.  McClellan  not  only  visited 
the  chief  railways  in  the  Northern  States,  and  inspected  them 
thoroughly,  but  he  called  to  his  aid  the  knowledge  and  assist 
ance  of  several  of  the  best  engineers  and  machinists  in  the 
country.  He  thus  was  enabled  to  report  in  a  very  complete 
manner — his  report,  in  truth,  being  a  treatise  on  railways 
which  possessed  value  as  such  to  the  railway  interests  of  the 
country.  The  report  was  rendered  early  in  November,  1854, 
and  gave  to  the  Department  entire  satisfaction.  Its  complete 
ness  proved  to  railroad  managers  and  directors  of  so  much 
interest,  that  when,  a  few  years  later,  McClellan  resigned  his 
commission  in  the  army,  railway  men  sought  and  obtained  his 
services  in  the  management  of  two  of  the  largest  enterprises  in 
the  country. 

To  this  engineering  service  succeeded,  for  three  years,  other 
duties  which  largely  raised  the  reputation  of  Captain  McClel 
lan.  After  executing  a  secret  service  in  the  West  Indies,  and 
K  25 


194  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

receiving  a  commission  in  the  United  States  cavalry,  lie  was 
appointed,  April  2d,  1855,  one  of  a  military  commission  of 
three  officers,  to  proceed  to  the  Crimea  and  Northern  Eussia 
for  observation  on  the  then  existing  war  ;  and  his  report  "On 
the  Organization  of  European  Armies  and  the  Operation  of 
the  War,"  evinced  so  much  grasp  of  the  subject,  as  to  add  to 
the  reputation  of  a  brave  and  efficient  officer  in  the  field,  that 
of  a  large  comprehension  of  the  science  of  war. 

The  record  of  this  tour  in  Europe  is  one  of  exceeding  inter 
est  even  to  the  general  reader.  The  three  officers  composing 
it  were  Major  Del  afield,  Major  Mordecai  and  Captain  McClel- 
lan — who  were  constituted  a  commission  to  proceed  to  Europe 
and  the  seat  of  War  in  the  Crimea  to  inspect  forts,  armories, 
foundries,  &c.  ;  to  examine  into  military  systems  and  organ 
izations  ;  to  study  the  conduct  of  a  campaign  on  the  field ; 
to  inquire  into  the  special  forms  of  rifled  arms  and  ordnance 
then  being  introduced ;  to  study  harbor  and  coast  defenses, 
&c.,  &c.  That  the  duty  was  ably  performed,  the  country  is 
proud  to  bear  witness.  The  three  separate  reports  made  by 
the  officers,  viz.  :  On  ordnance,  gunnery,  construction,  armo 
ries,  &c.,  by  Major  Mordecai ;  on  army  organization,  defenses, 
field  service,  &c.,  by  Major  Delafield ;  *  on  cavalry,  infantry, 
discipline,  barracks,  &c.,  by  McClellan,  whose  report  also  con 
tained  a  fine  disquisition  on  operations  before  Sebastopol, 
which  proved  how  critically  he  studied  and  apprehended  the 
whole  art  of  war.  McClellan's  report  was  the  first  of  the  three 
submitted  —  appearing  under  date  of  February  20th,  1857. 
The  character  of  the  volume  will  better  appear  from  a  citation 
of  its  contents,  viz.  : 

"  Report  on  the  operations  in  the  Crimea,  with  an  historical  sketch  of 
the  campaign,  and  strictures  on  its  conduct. 

"  Report  upon  the  European  troops,  embracing  a  resume  of  the  systems 
of  the  Russians,  Prussians,  Austrians,  French  and  English. 

"  Report  upon  the  French,  Austrian,  Prussian  and  Sardinian  infantry, 
with  a  digest  of  their  composition,  regulations,  &c. 

"  Report  upon  the  Russian  army,  comprising  1st,  organization,  uni 
form,  recruiting  stations,  etc. ;  3d,  the  instruction  and  tactics  of  cavalry ; 


OF     THE     WAR.  195 

3d,  the  equipments,  arms,  stables,  horses,  etc.,  of  cavalry  ;  4th,  the  Rus 
sian  Infantry 

"  Report  on  the  Prussian  cavalry. 

"  Report  on  the  Austrian  cavalry. 

"  Report  on  the  French  cavalry. 

"  Report  on  the  English  and  Sardinian  cavalry. 

"  Report  on  the  United  States  cavalry." 

This  was  also  followed  (in  the  same  volume)  by  "The  Regu 
lations  and  Instructions  for  the  Field  Service  of  Cavalry,  in  time 
of  war,  for  the  United  States  Army.'1'1 

The  several  reports  were  very  full  expositions  of  the  several 
systems  in  use  in  the  best  armies,  and  serve  to  show  how  inti 
mately  acquainted  Captain  McClellan  was  with  the  subject  in 
all  its  features.  His  final  report,  devoted  to  the  United  States 
cavalry,  was  an  embodiment  of  his  suggestions  in  regard  to  its 
reorganization,  so  as  to  adapt  it  to  the  improved  condition  of 
that  arm  of  service  as  perfected  by  the  European  nations.  The 
last  section  of  the  volume,  as  stated,  was  devoted  to  a  manual 
of  instruction  and  regulations  for  the  United  States  army  cav 
alry.  In  the  preface  modestly  announcing  his  work  the  au 
thor  said : 

"  I  have  translated  from  the  original  Russian,  and  have  endeavored 
to  adapt  them  (the  regulations,  etc.)  to  our  own  organization,  preserving 
the  original  arrangement,  and  adding  merely  a  few  minor  details  sug 
gested  by  the  recollections  of  former  readings  and  of  service  in  the 
field.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  they  will  be  found  to  fill  usefully 
an  important  want  in  our  military  literature  :  while  they  undoubtedly 
are  based  upon  true  military  principles." 

This  adverts  to  the  fact  of  the  writer's  acquaintance  with  the 
Eussian  language.  While  in  Russia  the  Captain  was  an  ardu 
ous  student  of  that  uncouth  and  severe  idiom  of  the  descend 
ants  of  the  Tartars ;  and  so  readily  mastered  its  lingual  and 
idiomatic  structure  as  to  be  able  to  converse  without  difficulty 
with  the  native  Euss.  Already  a  thorough  French  scholar 
from  his  West  Point  education,  with  a  good  command  of  Spa 
nish,  and  a  reading  knowledge  of  German,  the  acquisition  of 
Eussian  served  to  elevate  the  Captain  into  the  category  of  lin 
guistic  scholars. 


196  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

The  "regulations"  have  since  been  republished  in  convenient 
12 mo  form  for  use  as  a  text-book  in  the  service,  which  it  has 
become — making  the  second  manual  from  his  hand. 

And  now,  as  there  was  no  call  by  his  country  for  service  in 
the  field,  he  resigned  (1857)  his  position  in  the  army,  but  still 
kept,  as  it  were,  in  the  line  of  his  profession  of  engineer,  for 
he  became  Yice-President  and  Engineer  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Eailroad.  Having  served  here  three  years,  so  much  valued 
were  his  services  that  he  was  chosen  General  Superintendent 
of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Railroad,  in  which  capacity  he  was 
acting  when  the  rebellion  broke  out.  He  was  tendered  the 
Major- Generalship  of  the  Ohio  State  forces,  and,  a  little  later, 
Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania,  also  endeavored  to  secure 
his  services  in  organizing  the  volunteers  of  that  State.  He 
accepted,  however,  the  earliest  offer  of  Ohio,  and  very  promptly 
organized  the  militia  of  that  State  in  a  manner  so  original  and 
efficient  as  to  elicit  the  warmest  encomiums.  No  State  in  the 
Union  has  a  citizen  soldiery  truer  to  the  duties  of  both  citizen 
and  soldier  than  Ohio  under  the  system  inaugurated  by  Mc- 
Lellan. 

As  stated  by  us,  in  a  former  section  of  this  work,  on  the  14th 
day  of  May,  1861,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  De 
partment  of  the  West.  From  that  date  the  record  of  his  life 
up  to  the  date  (Aug.  1st)  when  he  assumed  command  of  the 
army  of  the  Potomac,  is  written  in  the  sketch  already  given  of 
the  Campaign  of  Western  Virginia. 

In  private  circles  the  General  is  known  as  an  amiable  man. 
and  a  gentleman  of  the  true  kind.  He  is  married — his  wife 
being  the  daughter  of  General  Marcy,  U.  S.  A.  She  is  a  lady 
of  many  virtues  of  head  and  heart  The  General  is,  we  believe, 
a  communicant  in  the  Presbyterian  (Old  School)  denomination. 


THE     THIRD     DISASTER. 

THE  Ball  Bluff  defeat,  October  21st,  1861,  was  a  melan 
choly  affair  resulting  not  only  in  disaster  to  our  arms  but  in 
great  loss  of  life,  owing  to  a  deficiency  of  transportation.  Men 
were  pressed  by  superior  numbers  back  upon  the  river,  (the 
Potomac,)  there  to  find  no  adequate  provision  made  for  their 
safe  passage  over.  Many  were,  therefore,  killed  in  making  a 
last  desperate  stand  at  the  river's  bank,  many  plunged  into 
the  river  only  to  be  swept  down  by  the  current,  many  were 
taken  prisoners — disasters  which  came  after  the  battle  was 
closed  by  defeat.  The  ranks  of  the  regiments  came  forth  from 
the  conflict  literally  riddled,  and  their  gallant  leader,  Colonel 
Baker,  was  among  the  slain.  It  was  not  a  Bull's  Eun  stam 
pede  ;  but  a  fearful  sacrifice  of  men  whose  devotion  and  cour 
age  rendered  their  loss  all  the  more  keenly  deplored. 

For  several  days  prior  to  the  21st,  the  brigades  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Potomac,  above  the  Chain  Bridge  and  the  Falls 
of  the  Potomac,  had  been  pushed  up  in  the  direction  of  Lees- 
burg.  These  brigades,  however,  commanded  by  General 
McCall,  did  not  advance  further  than  Drainesville,  twelve 
miles  south-east  of  Leesburg,  although  their  scouts  were  push 
ed  forward  to  Goose  Creek,  four  miles  from  that  place.  On 
Saturday  and  Sunday  General  McCall  made  two  reconnois- 
sances  towards  Leesburg,  and  could  find  no  trace  of  the  enemy. 
The  country  people  declared  that  the  rebels  had  abandoned 
that  place  some  days  before. 


198  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

It  was  believed  at  Washington  that  Leesburg  had  been 
evacuated  by  the  rebels,  that  they  had  retired  from  that  place 
to  Aldie,  ten  miles  south-west,  where  they  were  fortifying. 
Aldie  is  a  stronger  position  than  Leesburg,  for  there  the  rebels 
could  place  Goose  Creek  between  themselves  and  the  ad 
vancing  Union  troops.  Goose  Creek  is  about  the  size  of  Bull's 
Eun,  but  has  high  and  steep  banks,  and  cannot  be  crossed  by 
artillery,  except  by  bridges.  On  the  right  bank  of  the  creek 
are  some  high  hills  admirably  calculated  for  defense,  and 
these,  it  was  understood,  the  rebels  were  fortifying.  These 
facts,  or  rather,  these  reports,  were  current  in  the  army  and  in 
Washington. 

General  Stone,  upon  his  own  responsibility,  it  would  appear, 
determined  upon  a  demonstration  toward  Leesburg,  looking  to 
its  occupation. 

McCall's  movement  upon  Drainesville  had  excited  the  atten 
tion  of  the  enemy,  it  appeared  ;  for  a  regiment  soon  appeared 
near  Edwards'  Ferry,  evidently  to  watch  the  movements  of 
Stone.  This  regiment  took  position  on  a  hill  about  one  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  ferry.  It  afterwards  proved  that  the  regi 
ment  was  only  "  a  blind" — that  General  Evans'  forces,  five 
thousand  strong,  had  not  evacuated  Leesburg,  but  had  feinted 
the  evacuation  to  draw  on  the  Federal  forces. 

Stone  having  completed  his  arrangements,  October  20th, 
proceeded,  at  one  P.  M.,  to  Edwards'  Ferry,  from  Poolsville, 
with  Gorman's  brigade,  the  Seventh  Michigan  volunteers,  two 
troops  of  the  Van  Alen  cavalry,  and  the  Putnam  Rangers, 
sending  at  the  same  time  to  Harrison's  Island  and  vicinity  four 
companies  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  volunteers,  under 
Colonel  Devens,  (who  had  already  one  company  on  the  island,) 
and  Colonel  Lee  with  a  battalion  of  the  Twentieth  Massachu 
setts.  And  to  Conrad's  Ferry,  a  section  of  Vaughn's  Rhode 
Island  battery  and  the  Tammany  regiment,  under  Colonel 
Cogswell.  A  section  of  Bunting's  New  York  State  militia 
battery,  under  Lieutenant  Bramhall,  was  at  the  time  on  duty 
at  Conrad's  Ferry,  and  Eickett's  battery,  already  posted  at 
Edwards'  Ferry,  under  Colonel  "Woodruff.  Orders  were  also 


OF     THE     WAR.  199 

sent  to  Colonel  Devens,  at  Harrison's  Island,  some  four  miles 
up  the  river,  to  detach  Captain  Philbrick  and  twenty  men  to 
cross  from  the  island  and  explore  by  a  path  through  woods 
little  used,  in  the  direction  of  Leesburg,  to  see  if  he  could  find 
anything  concerning  the  enemy's  position  in  that  direction ; 
but  to  retire  and  report  on  discovering  any  of  the  enemy. 

General  Gorman  was  ordered  to  deploy  his  forces  in  view  of 
the  enemy,  and  in  so  doing,  no  movement  of  the  enemy  was 
excited.  Three  flat-boats  were  ordered,  and  at  the  same  time 
shell  and  spherical  case  shot  was  thrown  into  the  place  of  the 
enemy's  concealment.  This  was  done  to  produce  an  impres 
sion  that  a  crossing  was  to  be  made.  The  shelling  of  Edwards* 
Ferry,  and  launching  of  'the  boats,  induced  the  quick  retire 
ment  of  the  enemy's  force  seen  there,  and  three  boat-loads,  of 
thirty -five  men  each,  from  the  First  Minnesota,  under  cover 
of  the  shelling,  crossed  and  recrossed  the  river,  the  boats  con 
suming  in  crossing  from  three  to  seven  minutes.  The  spirit 
displayed  by  officers  and  men  at  the  thought  of  crossing  the 
river  was  cheering,  and  satisfied  the  General  that  they  could 
be  depended  on  for  gallant  service. 

As  darkness  came  on,  General  Stone  ordered  Gorman's  bri 
gade  and  the  Seventh  Michigan  to  fall  back  to  their  respect 
ive  camps,  but  retained  the  Tammany  regiment,  the  compa 
nies  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts  and  artillery  near  Conrad's 
Ferry,  in  their  position,  waiting  the  result  of  Captain  Phil- 
brick's  scout,  he  (Stone)  remaining  with  his  Staff  at  Edwards' 
Ferry.  About  four  p.  M.,  Lieutenant  Howe,  Quartermaster 
of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts,  reported  to  General  Stone 
that  Captain  Philbrick  had  returned  to  the  island  after  pro 
ceeding,  unmolested,  to  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Lees- 
burg,  and  that  he  had  there  discovered,  in  the  edge  of  a 
wood,  an  encampment  of  about  thirty  tents,  which  he  ap 
proached  to  within  twenty-five  rods  without  being  challenged, 
the  camp  having  no  pickets  out  any  distance  in  the  direction 
of  the  river. 

General  Stone  at  once  sent  orders  to  Colonel  Devens  to  cross 
four  companies  of  his  regiment  to  the  Virginia  shore,  and 


200  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

march  silently,  under  the  cover  of  night,  to  the  position  of  the 
camp  referred  to,  to  attack  and  destroy  it  at  daybreak,  pursue 
the  enemy  lodged  there  as  far  as  would  be  prudent  with  the 
small  force,  and  return  rapidly  to  the  island ;  his  return  to  be 
covered  by  the  Massachusetts  Twentieth,  which  was  directed  to 
be  posted  on  a  bluff  directly  over  the  landing  place.  Colonel 
Devens  was  ordered  to  use  this  opportunity  to  observe  the 
approaches  to  Leesburgh,  and  the  position  and  force  of  the 
enemy  in  the  vicinity,  and  in  case  he  found  no  enemy,  or  found 
him  only  weak  and  in  a  position  where  he  could  observe  well 
and  be  secure  until  his  party  could  be  strengthened  sufficiently 
to  make  a  valuable  reconnoissance,  which  should  safely  ascer 
tain  the  position  and  force  of  the  enemy,  to  hold  on  and  report 
Orders  were  dispatched  to  Colonel  Baker,  to  send  the  First 
California  regiment  to  Conrad's  Ferry,  to  arrive  there  at  sun 
rise,  and  to  have  the  remainder  of  his  brigade  in  a  state  of 
readiness  to  move  after  an  early  breakfast.  Also  to  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Ward,  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts,  to  move  with  a 
battalion  of  a  regiment  to  the  river  bank  opposite  Harrison's 
Island,  to  arrive  there  by  daybreak.  Two  mounted  howitzers, 
from  Rickett's  battery,  were  detailed  to  the  tow-path  opposite 
Harrison's  Island. 

In  order  to  distract  attention  from  Colonel  Devens'  move 
ment,  and  at  the  same  time  to  effect  reconnoissance  in  the 
direction  of  Leesburgh  from  Edwards'  Ferry,  General  Stone 
ordered  General  Gorman  to  throw  across  the  river  at  that 
point,  two  companies  of  First  Minnesota,  under  cover  of  fire 
from  Rickett's  battery,  and  sent  a  party  of  thirty-one  Yan  Alen 
cavalry,  under  command  of  Major  Mix,  accompanied  by  Cap 
tain  Charles  Stewart,  Assistant  Adjutant- General ;  Captain 
Murphy,  Lieutenants  Pierce  and  Gouraud,  with  orders  to 
advance  along  Leesburgh  road  until  they  should  come  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  battery,  which  was  known  to  be  on  that  road, 
and  then  turn  to  the  left,  and  examine  the  heights  between 
that  and  Goose  Creek ;  see  if  any  of  the  enemy  were  posted  in 
that  vicinity,  ascertain  as  near  as  possible  their  number  and 
disposition,  examine  the  country  with  reference  to  the  passage 


OF    THE     WAR.  201 

of  troops  to  the  Leesburgh  and  Georgetown  turnpike,  and' 
return  rapidly  to  cover  behind  the  skirmishers  of  the  First 
Minnesota. 

This  reconnoissance  was  most  gallantly  made  by  all  in  the 
party,  which  proceeded  along  the  Leesburgh  road  nearly  three 
miles  from  the  ferry,  and  when  near  the  position  of  a  hidden 
battery,  came  suddenly  on  a  Mississippi  regiment  about  thirty- 
five  yards  distant,  received  its  fire  and  returned  it  with  their 
pistols.  The  fire  of  the  enemy  killed  one  horse,  but  Lieutenant 
Gouraud,  the  gallant  Adjutant  of  the  cavalry  battalion,  seized 
the  dismounted  man,  and  drawing  him  on  his  horse  behind 
him  carried  him  safety  from  the  field.  One  private  of  the 
Fourth  Virginia  cavalry  was  brought  off  by  the  party,  and  as 
he  was  well  mounted  and  armed,  his  mount  replaced  the  one 
lost  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy. 

Meantime  Colonel  Devens  on  the  right,  having  in  pursuance 
of  his  orders  arrived  at  the  position  indicated  by  the  scouts 
as  the  site  of  the  enemy's  camp,  found  that  they  had  been 
deceived  by  the  uncertain  light,  and  had  mistaken  the  open 
ings  in  the  trees  for  a  row  of  tents.  He  found  however,  wood, 
in  which  he  concealed  his  force  from  view,  and  proceeded  to 
examine  the  space  between  that  and  Leesburgh,  sending  back 
word  to  General  Stone,  that  thus  far  he  could  see  no  enemy. 
Immediately  on  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  which  was  carried 
by  Lieutenant  Howe,  Quartermaster  of  the  Fifteenth  Massa- 
chusett,  General  Stone  ordered  a  non-commissioned  officer  and 
ten  cavalry  to  join  Colonel  Devens,  for  the  purpose  of  scouring 
the  country  near  him,  while  he  continued  his  reconnoissance, 
and  to  give  him  due  notice  of  the  approach  of  any  enemy,  and 
that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ward,  with  his  battalion  of  the  Fif 
teenth  Massachusetts,  should  move  on  to  Smart's  Mill,  half-a- 
inile  to  the  right  of  the  crossing-place  of  Colonels  Devens  and 
Lee,  where,  in  strong  position,  he  could  watch  and  protect  the 
flank  of  Colonel  Devens  on  his  return,  and  secure  a  second 
crossing-place  more  favorable  than  the  first,  and  connected  by 
a  good  road  with  Leesburgh. 


202  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

Captain  Candy,  Assistant  Adjutant- General,  and  General 
Lander,  accompanied  the  cavalry,  to  serve  with  it. 

The  battalion  under  Colonel  Ward  was  detained  on  the 
bluff  in  the  rear  of  Colonel  Deven,  instead  of  being  directed  to 
the  right 

Stone  said  in  his  official  report :  "  For  some  reason  never 
explained  to  me,  neither  of  these  orders  were  carried  out.  The 
cavalry  were  transferred  to  the  Virginia  shore,  but  were  sent 
back  without  having  lefb  the  shore  to  go  inland,  and  thus 
Colonel  Devens  was  deprived  of  the  means  of  obtaining  warn 
ing  of  any  approach  of  the  enemy."  The  report  then  went  on 
to  state  the  orders  given  to  Colonel  Baker,  under  which  he 
acted,  viz. : 

"  Colonel  Baker  having  arrived  at  Conrad's  Ferry,  with  the  First 
California  regiment  at  an  early  hour,  proceeded  to  Edwards'  Ferry,  and 
reported  to  ine  in  person,  stating  that  his  regiment  was  at  the  former 
place,  and  the  three  other  regiments  of  his  brigade  ready  to  march.  I 
directed  him  to  Harrison's  Island  to  assume  command,  and  in  a  full 
conversation  explained  to  him  the  position  as  it  then  stood.  I  told  him 
that  General  McCall  had  advanced  his  troops  to  Draiusville,  and  that  I 
was  extremely  desirous  of  ascertaining  the  exact  position  and  force  of 
the  enemy  in  our  front,  and  exploring,  as  far  as  it  was  safe,  on  the  right 
towards  Leesburgh,  and  on  the  left  towards  the  Leesburgh  and  Gum 
Spring  road.  I  also  informed  Colonel  Baker  that  General  Gorman,  oppo 
site  Edwards'  Ferry,  should  be  reenforced,  and  that  I  would  make  every 
effort  to  push  Gorman's  troops  carefully  forward,  to  discover  the  best 
line  from  that  Ferry  to  the  Leesburgh  and  Gum  Spring  road,  already 
mentioned,  and  the  position  of  the  breastworks  and  hidden  batteries, 
which  prevented  the  movement  of  troops  directly  from  left  to  right, 
were  also  pointed  out  to  him. 

"  The  means  of  transportation  across,  of  the  sufficiency  of  which  he 
(Baker)  was  to  be  the  judge,  was  detailed,  and  authority  given  him  to 
make  use  of  the  guns  of  a  section  each  of  Yaughan's  and  Bunting's  bat 
teries,  together  Math  French's  mountain  howitzers  (of  Rickett'  battery), 
all  the  troops  of  his  brigade  and  the  Tammany  regiment,  beside  the 
Nineteenth  and  part  of  the  Twentieth  regiments  of  Massachusetts  volun 
teers.  I  left  it  to  his  discretion,  after  viewing  the  ground,  to  retire 
from  the  Virginia  shore  under  the  cover  of  his  guns  and  the  fire  of  the 
large  infantry  force,  or  to  pass  our  reenforceinents  in  case  he  found  it 


OF     THE     WAR.  203 

practicable,  and  the  position  on  the  other  side  favorable.  I  stated  that 
I  wished  no  advance  made  unless  the  enemy  were  of  inferior  force,  and 
under.no  circumstance  to  pass  beyond  Leesburgh,  or  a  strong  position 
between  it  and  Goose  Creek,  on  the  Gum  Spring,  i.  e.,  the  Mauassea 
road.  Colonel  Baker  was  cautioned  in  reference  to  passing  artillery 
across  the  river,  and  I  begged,  if  he  did  so,  to  see  it  well  supported  by 
good  infantry.  The  General  pointed  out  to  him  the  position  of  some 
bluffs  on  this  side  of  the  river,  from  which  artillery  could  act  with  effect 
on  the  other,  and,  leaving  the  matter  of  crossing  more  troops  or  retiring 
what  were  already  over,  to  his  discretion,  gave  him  entire  control  of 
operations  on  the  right.  This  gallant  and  energetic  officer  left  me  about 
nine  A.  M.  or  half-past  nine,  and  galloped  of  quickly  to  his  command." 

This  statement  is  precise,  and  if  Colonel  Baker  was  caught 
without  transports  for  a  retreat,  was  surprised  by  an  over 
whelming  force  which  cut  off  his  retreat,  in  part,  it  was  not 
General  Stone's  fault,  if  the  orders  explicitly  detailed  above 
were  given  and  were  understood.  Baker's  friends  as  explicitly 
state  that  he  undertook  the  enterprize,  conscious  that  he  should 
be  overwhelmed,  and  that  he  so  expressed  himself  to  General 
Stone,  urging  the  practical  impossibility,  with  the  transports  at 
his  disposal,  of  throwing  over  the  river  the  force  which  he 
deemed  safe — but  was  ordered  forward.  From  an  examination 
of  all  the  evidence  produced,  we  credit  the  General's  state 
ment,  and  feel  that  the  censures  heaped  upon  him  were  really 
unmerited. 

Reenforcements  were  rapidly  thrown  to  the  Virginia  side  by 
General  Gorman,  at  Edwards'  Ferry,  and  his  skirmishers  and 
cavalry  scouts  advanced  cautiously  and  steadily  to  the  front 
and  right,  while  the  infantry  lines  were  formed  in  such  posi 
tion  as  to  act  rapidly  and  in  concert,  in  case  of  an  advance  of 
the  enemy,  and  shells  were  thrown  by  Lieutenant  Woodruff's 
Parrott  guns,  especial  care  being  taken  to  annoy  the  enemy  by 
the  battery  on  the  right. 

Messengers  from  Harrison's  Island  informed  General  Stone, 
soon  after  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Baker  opposite  the  island,  that 
ho  was  crossing  his  whole  force  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  that 
he  had  caused  an  additional  flat-boat  to  be  lifted  from  the 
canal  into  the  river,  and  had  provided  a  line,  by  which  to  cross 
the  boats  more  rapidly. 


204  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

During  the  morning  a  sharp  skirmish  took  place,  between 
two  of  the  advance  companies  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts 
and  a  body  of  about  one  hundred  strong  of  Mississippi  rifle 
men,  during  which  a  body  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  appeared, 
causing  Colonel  Devens  to  fall  back  in  good  order  on  Colonel 
Le*e's  position,  after  which  he  again  advanced,  his  officers  and 
men  behaving  admirably,  fighting,  retiring,  and  advancing  in 
perfect  order,  and  exhibiting  every  proof  of  high  courage  and 
good  discipline.  Had  he,  at  this  time,  had  the  cavalry  scout 
ing  party  which  was  sent  him  in  the  morning,  but  which,  most 
unfortunately,  had  been  turned  back  without  his  knowledge, 
he  could,  doubtless,  have  had  timely  warning  of  the  approach 
of  the  superior  force,  which  afterwards  overwhelmed  his  regi 
ment  and  their  brave  commander  and'  comrades.  To  that 
surprise  was  owing  the  disaster. 

General  Stone,  evidently  thinking  that  Colonel  Baker  might 
be  able  to  use  more  artillery,  dispatched  to  him  two  additional 
pieces  of  Yaughan's  battery,  supported  by  two  companies  of 
infantry,  with  directions  to  its  officer  to  come  into  position 
below  the  place  of  crossing,  and  report  to  Colonel  Baker. 
Later  in  the  day,  and  but  a  short  time  prior  to  the  arrival  of 
the  guns,  Colonel  Baker  suggested  the  same  movement  to 
General  Stone,  thus  justifying  the  General's  opinion. 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Times  said,  in  reference 
to  the  transports  and  their  apparent  want  of  capacity  : 

"  After  Colonel  Devens'  second  advance,  Colonel  Baker 
seems  to  have  gone  to  the  field  in  person,  but  he  has  left  no 
record  of  what  officers  and  men  he  charged  with  the  care  of  the 
boats,  and  insuring  the  regular  passage  of  the  troops.  If  any 
one  was  charged  with  this  duty,  it  was  not  performed,  for  it 
appears  that  the  reenforcements,  as  they  arrived,  found  no 
system  enforced,  and  the  boats  were  delayed  most  unneces 
sarily  in  transporting  back,  a  few  at  a  time,  the  wounded  that 
happened  to  arrive  with  attendants.  Had  an  efficient  officer 
been  in  charge  at  each  landing,  with  one  company  guarding 
the  boats,  their  full  capacity  would  have  been  made  service 
able,  and  sufficient  men  would  have  passed  on  to  secure  the 


OF     THE     WAR.  205 

success  of  his  operation.  The  forwarding  of  artillery  (neces 
sarily  a  slow  process)  before  its  supporting  force  of  infantry, 
also  impeded  the  rapid  assembling  of  an  imposing  force  on  the 
Virginia  shore.  The  infantry  which  was  waiting  with  impa 
tience  should  have  been  first  transported,  and  this  alone  would 
have  made  a  difference  in  the  infantry  line  at  the  time  of 
attack  of  at  least  one  thousand  men — enough  to  have  turned 
the  scale  in  our  favor." 

It  was  about  one  o'clock  p.  M.,  when  the  enemy  appeared  in 
force,  in  front  of  Colonel  Devens.  A  sharp  skirmish  then 
ensued,  which  was  maintained  for  some  time  by  the  Massa 
chusetts  Fifteenth.  Unsupported,  and  finding  himself  about 
to  be  outflanked,  Colonel  Devens  retired  a  short  distance  in 
good  order,  and  took  up  a  position  in  'the  edge  of  the  wood, 
about  half-a-mile  in  front  of  Colonel  Lee's  position,  where  he 
remained  until  two  P.  M.,  when  he  again  retired  with  the 
approach  of  Colonel  Baker,  and  took  his  place  in  line  with 
those  portions  of  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts  and  First  Cali 
fornia  regiments  which  had  arrived 

Colonel  Baker  at  once  formed  his  line,  awaiting  the  attack 
of  the  enemy,  which  came  upon  him  with  great  vigor  about 
three  P.  M.,  and  was  met  with  admirable  spirit  by  our  troops, 
who,  though  evidently  struggling  against  largely  superior 
numbers,  nearly  if  not  quite  three  to  one,  maintained  their 
ground  and  a  most  destructive  fire  upon  the  enemy. 

Colonel  Cogswell,  with  a  small  portion  of  his  regiment,  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  the  field  in  the  midst  of  the  heaviest  fire, 
and  they  went  gallantly  into  action  with  a  yell,  which  wavered 
the  enemy's  line. 

Lieutenant  Bramhall,  of  Bunting's  battery,  had  succeeded, 
after  exertions  of  labor,  in  bringing  up  a  piece  of  the  Ehocle 
Island  battery,  and  Lieutenant  French,  First  artillery,  his  two 
mountain  howitzers ;  but  while  for  a  short  time  these  main 
tained  a  well-directed  fire,  both  officers  and  nearly  all  the  men 
were  soon  borne  away  wounded,  and  the  pieces  were  handed 
to  the  rear  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 


206  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

At  about  four  o'clock  P.  M.,  Colonel  Baker,  pierced  by  a 
number  of  balls,  fell  at  the  head  of  his  command,  while  cheer 
ing  on  his  men,  and  by  his  own  example  maintaining  the  ob 
stinate  resistance  they  were  making.  In  full  uniform,  with  a 
"  regulation"  hat  and  feather,  and  mounted  on  his  horse,  he 
was  a  conspicuous  mark  for  the  bloodthirsty  traitors.  He  was 
one  of  the  finest  appearing  men  in  full  uniform  and  mounted 
that  I  have  seen  in  the  service.  Entirely  regardless  of  per 
sonal  safety,  he  led  and  cheered  on  his  men.  He  remarked  to 
those  around  him,  "A  rascal  up  in  that  tree  has  fired  at  me 
five  or  six  times ;"  and  the  rascal  in  the  tree  was  speedily 
brought  down  by  a  well-directed  ball.  Shortly  after  this 
Colonel  Baker  was  surrounded  by  a  body  of  rebel  cavalry  and 
taken  prisoner.;  but  the  right  wing  of  the  battalion  charged 
with  the  bayonet,  routed  the  cavalry,  killed  numbers  of  them? 
and  recaptured  their  Colonel. 

But  a  few  minutes  had  elapsed,  however,  before  a  tall,  fero 
cious  Virginian,  with  red  hair  and  whiskers,  came  rushing 
from  behind  a  tree,  with  a  huge  revolver  in  his  hand,  and, 
placing  the  weapon  almost  against  the  Colonel's  head,  inflicted 
a  mortal  wound.  Not  satisfied  with  his  deadly  work,  he  fired 
the  second  ball,  while  simultaneously  the  body  was  pierced 
with  four  bullets  from  the  tops  of  trees,  and  the  brave  Colonel 
fell  lifeless  from  his  horse. 

Captain  Louis  Berial,  of  New  York  city,  commanding  Com 
pany  G-.,  California  regiment,  seeing  the  assassination  of  Colo 
nel  Baker,  rushed  upon  the  ruffian,  seized  him  by  the  throat, 
and  shot  him  dead  on  the  spot  with  his  revolver. 

Colonel  Lee  then  took  command,  and  prepared  to  commence 
throwing  our  forces  to  the  rear,  but  Colonel  Cogswell,  of  the 
Tamrnany  regiment,  being  found  to  be  senior  in  rank,  assumed 
command,  and  ordered  dispositions  to  be  made  immediately 
for  marching  to  the  left,  and  cutting  a  way  through  to 
Edwards'  Ferry. 

Unfortunately,  just  as  the  first  dispositions  were  being 
made,  an  officer  of  the  enemy  rode  rapidly  in  front  of  the 
Tammany  regiment  and  beckoned  them  towards  the  enemy. 


OF    THE     WAR.  207 

Whether  the  Tammany  understood  this  as  an  order  from  one 
of  our  officers,  or  an  invitation  to  close  work,  is  not  known  ; 
but  the  men  responded  to  the  gesture  with  a  yell,  and  charged 
forward,  carrying  with  them  in  their  advance  the  rest  of  the 
line,  which  soon  received  a  murderous  fire  from  the  enemy  at 
close  distance.  Our  officers  rapidly  recalled  the  men,  but  in 
the  position  they  had  now  placed  themselves,  it  was  imprac 
ticable  to  make  the  movement  designed,  and  Colonel  Cogswell 
reluctantly  gave  the  order  to  retire.  The  enemy  pursued  our 
troops  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  over  the  landing-place,  and 
thence  poured  in  a  heavy  fire  on  the  men  who  were  endeavor 
ing  to  cross  to  the  island. 

Eapid  as  the  retreat  necessarily  was,  there  was  no  neglect 
of  orders.  The  men  formed  near  the  river,  deploying  as  skir 
mishers,  and  maintained  for  twenty  minutes  or  more  the  une 
qual  and  hopeless  contest  rather  than  surrender. 

The  smaller  boats  had  disappeared,  no  one  knew  whither. 
The  largest  boat,  rapidly  and  too  heavily  laden,  swamped  some 
fifteen  feet  from  the  shore,  and  nothing  was  left  to  the  gallant 
soldiers  but  to  swim,  surrender  or  die. 

With  a  devotion  worthy  of  the  cause  they  are  serving,  offi 
cers  and  men,  while  quarter  was  being  offered  to  such  as  would 
lay  down  their  arms,  stripped  themselves  of  their  swords  and 
muskets  and  hurled  them  out  into  the  river  to  prevent  their 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  foe,  and  saved  themselves  as  they 
could  by  swimming,  floating  on  logs,  and  concealing  them 
selves  in  bushes  and  forests  to  make  their  way  up  and  down 
the  river,  back  to  a  place  of  crossing. 

The  Times  correspondent,  already  quoted  from,  and  who 
appears  to  have  been  in  the  confidence  of  General  Stone,  said  : 

"  While  these  scenes  were  being  enacted  on  the  right,  General  Stone 
was  preparing  for  a  rapid  push  forward  to  the  road  by  which  the  enemy 
would  retreat  if  driven,  and  entirely  unsuspicious  of  the  perilous  condi 
tion  of  the  troops  on  the  right.  The  additional  artillery  had  already 
been  sent  in  anticipation,  and  General  Stone  was  told  by  a  messenger 
from  Baker's  position,  that  the  Colonel  could,  without  doubt,  hold  his 
own  in  case  he  did  not  advance.  Half  an  hour  later — say  at  half-past 


208  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

three  P.  M. — a  similar  statement  was  made  by  another  messenger  from 
Colonel  Baker,  and  it  was  the  expectation  of  General  Stone  that  an  ad 
vance  on  the  right  would  be  made,  so  that  he  could  push  forward  Gen 
eral  Gorman.  It  was,  as  had  been  explained  to  Colonel  Baker,  imprac 
ticable  to  throw  Gorman's  brigade  directly  to  the  right,  by  reason  of 
the  battery  in  the  wood,  between  which  we  had  never  been  able  to 
reconnoitre." 

Presuming  that  all  was  progressing  favorably,  Stone  tele 
graphed  to  General  Banks  requesting  him  to  send  a  brigade 
of  his  division,  intending  it  to  occupy  the  ground  on  the  Mary 
land  side  of  the  river,  near  to  Harrison's  Island,  which  could 
be  abandoned  in  case  of  a  rapid  advance. 

Captain  Candy  arrived  at  head-quarters  from  the  field  of 
Colonel  Baker  about  five  P.  M.,  and  announced  to  General 
Stone  tb?  news  of  Colonel  Baker's  death,  but  giving  no  news 
of  further  disaster,  though  he  stated  that  reenforcements  were 
slow.  General  Stone  telegraphed  this  fact  to  General  Banks, 
and  the  fact  of  Colonel  Baker's  death,  and  instantly  rode  to 
the  right  to  assume  command.  Before  he  reached  the  point 
opposite  the  island,  evidences  of  disaster  began  to  be  met,  in 
men  who  had  crossed  the  river  by  swimming,  and  on  reach 
ing  the  landing  the  fact  was  asserted  in  a  manner  leaving 
no  possible  doubt.  It  was  reported  to  General  Stone  that  the 
enemy's  force  was  ten  thousand  —  an  evident  exaggeration. 
He  gave  orders  to  hold  the  island  for  the  removal  of  the 
wounded,  and  established  a  patrol  on  the  tow-path  from  oppo 
site  the  island  to  the  line  of  pickets  near  Monocacy,  and  then 
returned  to  the  left,  to  secure  the  troops  there  from  disaster, 
preparing  means  of  removing  them  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

Orders  arrived  from  head-quarters  of  the  army  of  the  Poto 
mac  to  hold  the  island  and  Virginia  shore  at  Edwards'  Ferry 
at  all  hazards,  and  promising  reenforcements,  and  General 
Stone  forwarded  additional  intrenching  tools  to  General  Gor 
man,  with  instructions  to  intrench  and  hold  out  against  any 
force  that  might  appear.  That  evening  General  Stone  learned 
by  telegraph  that  General  Banks  was  on  the  way  to  reenforce 
him,  and  at  about  three  A.  M.,  he  arrived  and  assumed  command 


INCIDENTS     OF    THE     BALL'S    BLUFF    DISASTER. 

THE  instances  of  personal  gallantry  of  the  highest  order 
were  so  many,  that  it  would  be  unjust  now  to  detail  particular 
cases.  Officers  displayed  for  their  men,  and  men  for  their 
officers,  that  beautiful  devotion  which  is  only  to  be  found 
among  true  soldiers.  Eegiment  after  regiment  of  fresh  rebel 
troops  came  rushing  upon  them  down  the  hill,  yelling  like 
fiends,  and  pouring  in  deadly  volleys,  while  the  trees  still 
swarmed  with  riflemen,  who  made  the  air  black  with  bullets 
aimed  at  our  devoted  little  band.  At  times  the  contending 
parties  were  within  four  or  five  feet  of  each  other ;  still  our 
men  stood  steadily,  returning  their  fire,  or  plunging  at  them 
with  the  bayonet  So  near  were  they  at  one  time  that  our 
men  actually  caught  a  lieutenant,  by  seizing  him  as  he  stood  in 
the  enemy's  ranks.  He  was  taken  over  the  river  safely  by  his 
captors. 

During  the  fiercest  portion  of  the  struggle,  an  officer, 
mounted  on  a  fine  horse,  rushed  forward  from  the  woods,  ex 
claiming  to  the  Federal  force  behind  him :  "  Eally  on  me, 
boys  !"  Knowing  that  other  Union  regiments  were  to  cross 
another  ferry,  some  of  our  men  were  deceived  and  followed  the 
horseman ;  but  they  were  led  as  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  for 
they  had  proceeded  but  a  few  rods  when  a  deadly  volley  was 
poured  into  them,  killing  many  and  hastily  dispersing  the  rest. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  same  man  appeared  again,  to  try  the  same 
game.  Colonel  Baker  chanced  to  see  him  and  exclaimed, 
s2  27 


210  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

"  Good  heaven  !  there  is  Johnson,  what  is  he  doing  there  ?" 
It  was  not  the  rebel  General,  however,  but  some  other,  equally 
bold  and  unscrupulous. 

The  apparent  desertion  of  Leesburg  was  only  a  ruse  on 
the  part  of  the  enemy,  who  had  drawn  their  forces  out  of  the 
town,  and  were  posted  in  strength  in  such  positions  between 
Leesburg  and  the  river,  that  they  could  enfilade  our  advancing 
columns,  and  attack  them  not  only  in  front  and  in  the  flanks, 
but  in  the  rear  also.  Skirmishers  were  thrown  out  as  the 
column  advanced,  but  no  signs  of  an  enemy  were  seen,  until 
the  brigade  had  advanced  fully  half-way  to  their  destination. 
The  first  intimation  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy  was  the 
simultaneous  discharge  of  about  a  hundred  rifles,  from  a  thicket 
on  the  top  of  an  eminence.  The  fire  was  received  by  the  right 
wing  of  the  Fifteenth  Massachusetts,  who  were  in  the  advance. 
A  lieutenant  and  six  or  eight  men  were  killed,  and  eighteen 
severely  wounded.  Three  companies,  however,  immediately 
dashed  up  the  slope,  in  the  direction  of  the  fire,  and,  on  reach 
ing  the  spot,  found  themselves  confronted  with  a  regiment  of 
Mississippi  riflemen,  who,  reserving  their  fire  till  our  brave 
fellows  were  within  thirty  yards,  poured  into  them  another 
volley.  A  captain,  a  lieutenant,  and  twelve  or  thirteen  men 
were  killed  by  this  discharge.  Our  men,  however,  nothing 
daunted,  delivered  their  fire  with  good  effect,  and  then  charged 
with  the  bayonet.  The  enemy  did  not  wait  for  the  latter,  but 
cut  and  ran  towards  Leesburg  in  disorder.  Colonel  Devens 
then  pushed  on,  but  soon  found  that  even  that  apparent  flight 
was  a  ruse  to  draw  him  on.  He  was  soon  so  surrounded  as  to 
have  but  little  hope  of  the  escape  of  a  single  person  in  his 
ranks.  It  is  stated  that  the  conduct  of  Colonel  Baker,  in  his 
effort  to  rescue  the  Massachusetts  and  other  men,  under  fire, 
was  heroic  beyond  description. 

Just  prior  to  the  fall  of  Colonel  Baker,  the  enemy  made  a 
flank  movement  to  turn  the  latter's  lina  Colonel  Baker,  per 
ceiving  this,  immediately  wrote  an  order  to  be  conveyed  to 
the  Tammany  companies,  which  had  just  arrived,  and  while 
the  right  was  facing  his  command,  to  meet  the  flank  move- 


OF     THE     WAR.  211 

merit,  and  when  about  giving  orders  to  charge,  he  was  killed, 
falling  ten  feet  in  advance  of  his  column. 

One  of  the  bravest  of  the  brave  was  Lieutenant  Bramhall, 
of  the  New  York  Ninth.  He  was  in  command  of  two  pieces 
of  artillery,  one  of  which  was  left  on  the  island  when  the  ad 
vance  was  made.  During  the  fight  he  was  wounded  by  a 
spent  ball  in  his  back,  and  had  two  other  bullets  pass  through 
him,  through  his  side.  He  was  carried  to  the  island.  "When 
the  rout  took  place,  he  asked  Eev.  Mr.  Scanlan  what  he  should 
do  with  his  battery,  where  he  should  place  it  to  cover  the 
retreat.  Then,  as  the  thought  flashed  into  his  mind,  said,  "  I 
will  place  it  to  cover  Conrad's  Ferry."  And  though  thus 
wounded,  he  called  two  soldiers  to  his  aid,  who  carried  him  in 
their  arms  round  the  island,  and  sustained  him  while  he  placed 
his  battery  in  position  !  He  was  about  23  years  of  age.  Be 
sides  these  wounds,  he  had  six  bullets  pass  through  his  clothes 
and  hat.  One  struck  the  scabbard  of  his  sword.  It  was  only 
till  he  had  got  every  thing  right  about  his  guns  that  he  would 
allow  himself  to  be  brought  from  the  island. 

A  German  sergeant,  on  seeing  his  captain  fall,  toward  the 
close  of  the  fight,  collected  four  or  five  files  of  his  company, 
about  a  dozen  men  altogether,  and  crying,  "  Boys,  we  can  only 
die  once  ;  we'll  avenge  the  captain's  death."  led  them  fighting 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  enemy's  position.  He  immediately 
disappeared,  and  nothing  was  afterward  seen  of  him  or  any 
of  his  band. 

The  officers  and  men  behaved  with  the  most  extraordinary 
courage.  They  were  pressed  by  an  overpowering  force,  but 
stood  firm  until  their  whole  supply  of  ammunition  was 
exhausted,  and  then  retreated  to  the  river,  and  threw  their 
guns  and  swords  into  it  to  prevent  the  enemy  getting  posses 
sion  of  them.  Colonel  Raymond  Lee  and  staff  were  furnished 
with  a  skiff  to  make  their  escape.  The  Colonel  gallantly 
refused,  and  gave  orders  to  use  it  for  conveying  the  wounded 
across  the  river.  It  was  filled  with  wounded,  who  reached  the 
Maryland  shore  in  safety,  and  the  humane  and  gallant  officer 
was  taken  prisoner. 


212  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

Many  of  the  survivors  of  the  fight  escaped  by  swimming. 
Captain  Crowninsheld,  long  known  in  Harvard  as  the  stroke- 
oar  of  the  boat  club,  swam  to  Harrison's  Island,  without 
clothing,  a.nd  saving  nothing  but  his  watch,  which  he  carried 
in  his  mouth.  Being  greatly  fatigued,  he  turned  in  beneath 
the  most  convenient  hay -rick,  and  slept  till  morning,  when,  in 
the  hurry  of  departure,  and  the  especial  anxiety  of  procuring 
clothes,  he  departed  without  giving  a  thought  to  the  watch 
which  he  had  taken  such  pains  to  keep  possession  of  the  night 
before,  and  which  he  had  tucked  away  beside  him  before  going 
to  sleep. 

A  story  was  related  of  an  Irishman  in  company  D,  of  the 
Massachusetts  Fifteenth,  which  is  very  funny.  When  the 
retreat  was  ordered,  he  threw  off  his  coat  and  pants  and 
plunged  into  the  icy  current  of  the  Potomac.  He  swam  boldly 
across  the  river,  and  had  just  gained  the  Maryland  shore,  when 
he  remembered  that  he  had  left  $13  25  in  the  pocket  of  his 
coat.  "  Be  jabers,  Billy,"  said  he,  "  thirn  thirteen  dollars  is  in 
me  coat,  and  the  bloody  ribels  will  git  'em,  and  besides,  I  can't 
consint  to  part  with  the  amount,  so  I'll  jist  go  for  them,"  and 
in  he  plunged  again.  He  got  safely  over,  found  his  coat, 
secured  his  money,  and  recrossed  the  river.  I  saw  him  in 
camp  this  afternoon,  and  congratulated  him  on  his  pluck,  endur 
ance  and  success,  to  which  he  replied,  "  Oh,  yis  sir,  'twas  all 
I'd  saved  from  my  three  months'  sarvice,  and  I'm  very  fond 
of  me  pipe." 

A  most  exciting  scene  transpired  at  the  sinking  of  the 
launch,  in  which  were  some  sixty  wounded  men,  and  twenty 
or  thirty  members  of  the  California  First.  The  launch  had 
been  safely  taken  halfway  across  the  river,  when,  to  their 
utter  consternation,  it  was  discovered  that  it  was  leaking,  and 
the  water  gradually,  but  surely,  gaining  upon  them.  The 
wounded  were  lying  on  the  bottom  of  the  launch — some  shot 
in  the  head,  others  mangled  by  the  tramp  of  cavalry,  and 
others  suffering  intolerably  from  their  various  dislocations, 
wounds  and  injuries,  and  all  soaking  in  water,  which,  at  the 
very  start,  was  fully  four  inches  deep.  As  the  water  grew 


OF     THE     WAR.  213 

deeper  and  rose  above  the  prostrate  forms  of  the  wounded, 
their  comrades  lifted  them  into  sitting  postures,  that  they 
might  not  be  strangled  by  the  fast-rising  stream.  Despite  all 
that  could  be  done,  the  fate  of  the  launch,  and  all  that  were  in 
,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  expert  swimmers,  was  sealed ; 
suddenly,  and  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  the  rotten  craft  sank, 
carrying  with  it  at  least  fifty  dying,  mangled,  groaning  suffer 
ers,  and  some  twenty  or  thirty  others,  who  had  trusted  their 
lives  to  its  treacherous  hold. 

After  all  was  finished,  and  the  fragments  of  the  regiments 
were  brought  together  at  the  water's  edge,  it  was  determined 
to  push  upward  along  the  shore,  with  the  uncertain  hope  of 
finding  some  means  of  recrossing  to  the  Maryland  side.  In 
the  event  of  meeting  the  enemy,  however,  it  was  determined 
to  surrender  at  once,  since  any  contest  under  the  circum 
stances  would  be  a  useless  sacrifice  of  life.  After  progressing 
a  mile  or  so,  the  officers  (Captains  Bartlett  and  Tremlett,  and 
Lieutenants  Whittier  and  Abbott)  discovered  a  mill,  sur 
rounded  by  cottages,  about  which  numbers  of  persons  were 
seen  moving.  Here  it  seemed  that  they  must  yield.  The 
officers  ordered  a  halt,  and  directed  the  men  to  cast  all  their 
arms  into  the  river,  so  that  the  enemy  should  gain  as  little  as 
possible  by  the  surrender.  Lieutenant  Whittier  walked  on  in 
advance  with  a  white  handkerchief  tied  on  his  sword,  to  be 
used  when  occasion  should  demand.  The  first  person  met 
was  an  old  negro,  who,  though  greatly  terrified,  contrived  to 
reveal  that  an  old  boat  was  stored  near  the  mill,  which  might 
be  bailed  out  and  used  to  convey  the  fugitives  across  the 
river.  A  gift  of  five  dollars  insured  his  services,  and  the  boat 
was  in  due  time  launched  and  ready  for  use.  It  was  small, 
and  only  a  few  could  pass  at  each  trip.  Until  dawn  it  passed 
back  and  forth,  until  all  were  transferred  in  safety.  One  offi 
cer  went  over  in  the  third  boat,  to  keep  the  men  well  together 
on  the  Maryland  side ;  the  others  waited  till  the  last.  For 
that  service  the  old  negro  was  afterwards  dreadfully  whipped, 
and  only  escaped  more  tortures  by  "passing  over  Jordan' — • 
crossing  the  Potomac  and  making  his  way  to  Pennsylvania. 


214  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Before  starting  upon  the  expedition  on  Monday  morning, 
the  men  had  left  their  knapsacks  and  blankets  upon  Harrison's 
Island.  In  the  retreat  it  was  impossible  for  more  than  a  few 
to  gather  them  up  again.  A  Lieutenant  volunteered  on  Wed 
nesday,  after  the  island  had  been  visited  by  the  rebel  scouts, 
to  go  over  with  five  and  collect  what  remained.  He  did  so, 
and  returned  with  more  than  a  hundred  knapsacks  and  blan 
kets,  to  the  great  comfort  of  many  of  the  men  who  had  suf 
fered  from  the  icy  weather.  While  there,  the  men  scoured 
nearly  the  whole  island,  but  could  not  be  persuaded  to  enter 
the  building  which  had  been  used  as  a  hospital,  in  which  so 
many  corpses  of  their  former  comrades  lay. 

The  loss  of  the  Federals  in  this  affair  never  was  accurately 
stated.  About  seventy  were  killed  ;  as  many  were  drowned 
and  shot  in  the  water ;  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  were 
wounded ;  and  about  four  hundred  were  taken  prisoners. 
The  rebel  General  in  command,  Evans,  in  his  report  of  the 
affair,  stated  his  forces  to  have  been  twenty-five  hundred,  and 
his  loss  to  have  been  three  hundred  killed  and  wounded. 
The  Federal  force,  all  told,  was  seventeen  hundred  and  fifty. 

As  to  the  responsibility  of  the  movement  made,  and  of  the 
surprise,  the  following  orders  will  afford  due  light ;  they  were 
found  in  the  Colonel's  hat,  underneath  the  lining.  Both  were 
deeply  stained  with  Colonel  Baker's  blood,  and  one  of  the  bul 
lets,  which  went  through  his  head,  carried  away  a  corner  of 
the  first : 

EDWARDS'  FERRY,  October  21st,  1861. V 
Colonel  E.  D.  Baker,  Commander  of  Brigade  : 

COLONEL  :  In  case  of  heavy  firing  in  front  of  Harrison's  Island,  you 
will  advance  the  California  regiment  of  your  brigade,  or  retire  the  regi 
ments  under  Colonels  Lee  and  Devens,  now  on  the  [almost  rendered 
illegible  by  bloodj  Virginia  side  of  the  river,  at  your  discretion — assum 
ing  command  on  arrival. 

Very  respectfully,  Colonel,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

CHARLES  P.  STONE, 
Brigadier-General  Commanding. 

The  second  order,  which  follows,  was  delivered  on  the 
battle-field  by  Colonel  Cogswell,  who  said  to  Colonel  Baker, 


OF    THE    WAR.  215 

in  reply  to  a  question  what  it  meant,  "All  right,  go  ahead." 
Thereupon,  Colonel  Baker  put  it  in  his  hat  without  reading. 
An  hour  afterward  he  fell. 

HEAD-  QUARTERS  CORPS  OF  OBSERVATION,  ) 
EDWARDS'  FERRY,  October  22d— 11:50.  J 

E.  D.  BAKER,  COMMANDING  BRIGADE — COLONEL  :  I  am  informed  that 
the  force  of  the  enemy  is  about  four  thousand,  all  told.  If  you  can  push 
them,  you  may  do  so  as  far  as  to  have  a  strong  position  near  Leesburg, 
if  you  can  keep  them  before  you,  avoiding  their  batteries.  If  they  pass 
Leesburg  and  take  the  Gum  Springs  Road,  you  will  not  follow  far,  but 
seize  the  first  good  position  to  cover  that  road. 

Their  desire  is  to  draw  us  on,  if  they  are  obliged  to  retreat,  as  far  as 
Goose  Creek,  where  they  can  be  reenforced  from  Manassas,  and  have  a 
strong  position. 

Report  frequently,  so  that,  when  they  are  pushed,  Gorman  can  come 
up  on  their  flank. 

Yours,  respectfully  and  truly, 

CHARLES  P.  STOM, 
Brigadier- General  Commanding. 

This  little  error  of  the  Colonel — in  not  reading  the  last  dis 
patch — was  the  cause  of  the  surprise.  Colonel  Coggswell's 
remark — "  All  right,  go  ahead  I"  doubtless  served  to  answer, 
in  Baker's  mind,  for  the  contents  of  the  envelop,  and  therefore 
it  was  not  broken  open.  It  serves  at  least  to  relieve  General 
Stone  from  the  inattention  and  ignorance  of  the  enemy's  force 
which  were  freely  charged  upon  him  at  one  time.  The  move 
ment  over  the  river  was  Stone's  conception,  and  that  remains 
open  for  stricture; 


COLONEL      BAKER. 

THE  loss  of  this  officer  created  a  profound  sensation,  in  all 
circles.  He  was  well  known  personally  by  an  immense  num 
ber  of  persons  in  the  East  and  "West  and  on  the  Pacific  coast ; 
while  his  reputation  as  the  United  States  Senator  from  Oregon 
was  such  as  to  have  made  his  name  one  familiar  to  the  public 
ear.  His  splendid  talents  as  a  speaker  and  debater  gave  him 
a  prominent  position  in  the  Senate,  from  which  he  withdrew 
to  raise  regiments  in  New  York  city  and  Philadelphia,  to  be 
known  as  the  California  brigade.  His  loss  was  a  cause  for 
national  regret ;  and  the  notices  bestowed  upon  his  career,  his 
character  and  talents  evinced  the  depth  of  the  feeling  all  felt 
at  his  fate. 

Edward  Dickinson  Baker  was  born  in  London,  England, 
February  24th,  1811.  His  parents  were  both  persons  of  refine 
ment,  honorably  connected  and  of  fair  repute.  The  parents 
emigrated  to  America  in  1815,  residing  in  Philadelphia  for  ten 
years.  "  Early  in  the  spring  of  1825,"  sa^s  a  writer  in  Har 
per's  Magazine,  (December,  1861,)  "  the  elder  Baker,  impelled 
by  that  spirit  .of  restless  adventure  and  enterprise  that  seems 
the  heritage  of  all  the  race,  gathered  up  his  household  gods 
and  turned  his  face  once  more  to  the  sunset.  Over  the  track 
less  mountains,  along  the  strange  rivers,  through  the  still  wil 
derness  where  life  was  bursting  into  beauty  and  bloom,  he 
journeyed  until,  tired  of  wandering,  he  rested  in  the  rich 
valley  of  the  Wabash.  Only  a  little  while  though  ;  for  in  a 


OF    THE     WAE.  217 

year  or  so  we  find  him  at  the  pleasant  old  town  of  Belleville, 
in  the  county  of  St.  Glair,  the  earliest  settled  of  all  Central 
Illinois,  filled  with  a  population  more  wealthy  and  refined 
than  that  which  settled  in  the  Southern  peninsula  between  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Ohio,  or  that  which  fought  and  traded 
along  the  Illinois  and  Rock  Rivers.  Most  of  the  educational 
and  social  advantages  of  the  State  clustered  at  that  early  day 
around  the  villages  facing  the  trading  station  that  Laclede  had 
built  and  called  St.  Louis,  and  those  that  nestled  cozily  in  the 
winding  valley  of  Kaskaskia.  In  later  years  these  towns  have 
lost  their  ancient  prosperity,  and  all  that  reminds  the  visitor 
of  what  has  been  is  the  dignified  idleness  of  the  men  and  the 
still,  pro  ad  beauty  of  the  women. 

"  Finding  in  the  good  county  of  St.  Clair  a  congenial  social 
atmosphere,  the  elder  Baker  pitched  there  his  tent,  and  opened 
an  academy  for  boys,  which  he  continued  with  great  success 
for  many  years,  conducting  it  upon  a  system  of  instruction 
then  called  the  Lancasterian  plan.  His  son,  Edward,  then  a 
handsome  lad  of  fifteen,  by  the  grace  and  dignity  of  his  bear 
ing,  by  his  personal  beauty,  and  by  the  astonishing  charm  of 
conversation  which  even  at  that  early  day  distinguished  him, 
became  a  general  favorite  in  the  best  society  there.  He  was 
always  received  with  kindness  in  the  family  of  Governor 
Edwards,  a  magnificent  old  gentlemen  in  fair  top-boots  and 
ruffled  wristbands,  who  added  to  a  character  of  great  generosity 
and  executive  ability  the  grand  Seigneur  airs  of  the  Old  School. 
Young  Baker  availed  himself  with  avidity  of  the  treasures  of 
the  Governor's  library,  the  .best  in  the  State.  He  was  always 
a  ravenous  reader.  He  had  one  of  those  rare  memories — wax 
to  receive,  and  marble  to  retain.  He  was  indebted  to  its  trusti 
ness  and  quickness  for  much  of  his  success  as  a  debater.  He 
was  rarely  mistaken,  and  never  at  fault  for  a  fact  or  an  allu 
sion.  Thus  reading  and  remembering,  dreaming  and  growing, 
he  passed  the  pleasant  days  in  pleasant  Belleville,  in  congenial 
study  and  edifying  society.  He  took  much  interest  in  the 
political  contests  that  convulsed  the  State  upon  the  old  and 
always  mischievous  question  of  Slavery — in  which,  singularly 


218  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

enough,  Northern  and  Eastern  men  favored  the  introduction 
of  Slavery,  while  the  Governor  and  his  Kentucky  associates 
opposed  it  By  their  untiring  efforts  Slavery  was  prohibited, 
and  Illinois  remained  a  Free  State. 

"  From  Belleville  young  Baker  went  to  Carrollton,  in  Greene 
county,  a  town  of  less  social  culture,  though  filled  with  a 
wealthy  and  sterling  population.  Here  he  studied  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  Caverly,  and  practiced  for  some  time  with 
indifferent  success.  He  married  here  a  lady  of  high  character 
and  position,  who  still  survives  him,  in  desolation  and  sorrow, 
on  the  far  shore  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

"  He  removed  to  Springfield,  afterward  the  capital  city  of 
the  State,  in  1835.  In  1837,  when  Dan  Stone — the  member 
who  joined  Abraham  Lincoln  in  what  his  opponents  styled 
the  'Abolition  protest' — resigned  his  seat  in  the  Legislature 
.to  secure  a  place  on  the  Supreme  Bench,  Baker  was  elected 
to  fill  the  vacancy  thus  created,  and  re-elected  soon  thereafter. 
He  paid  little  attention  to  Legislative  business  ;  was  often  out 
of  his  seat,  and  more  pleasantly  employed.  He  was,  however, 
always  called  on  when  an  obnoxious  measure  was  to  be  de 
feated  or  an  opponent  demolished.  He  mastered  details  with 
great  ease  when  he  cared,  but  he  did  not  often  care.  He  was 
State  Senator  from  1840  to  1844,  defeating  in  the  canvass  John 
Calhoun,  who  afterward  became  memorable  on  accout  of  an 
election  manoeuvre  in  Kansas  not  wholly  unconnected  with 
candle-boxes. 

"  All  this  time  he  was  applying  himself  assiduously  to  the 
practice  of  law.  His  infallible  memory,  his  quickness  of  per 
ception,  and  his  ardent  eloquence,  were  powerful  agencies  in. 
the  management  of  juries,  and  were  usually  successful  against 
the  most  determined  energy  and  labor.  His  bonhomrnie  and 
impetuosity  of  delivery  were  irresistible  to  Western  men  ;  and 
his  Kentucky  admirers  delighted  to  liken  him  to  the  great 
lights  of  the  South-western  bar,  Barry  and  Grundy.  He  was 
fortunate  in  being  associated  with  men  of  industry  and  learn 
ing,  such  as  Judge  Logan,  the  Nestor  of  the  profession  in  Illi- 


OF     THE     WAK.  219 

nois ;  M.  Hay ;  and,  for  a  while,  Albert  T.  Bledsoe,  lately 
Assistant  Secretary  of  War  in  the  Southern  Confederacy." 

The  writer  of  the  article  above  quoted  from — understood  to 
be  Mr.  John  Hay,  Second  Private  Secretary  to  President  Lin 
coln — adverted  with  some  pride  to-  the  coterie  of  really  notable 
men  who,  at  that  day,  controlled  the  sentiment  of  Illinois. 
He  said  :  "It  would  be  hard  to  find  in  any  backwoods  town, 
at  the  period  of  which  I  have  been  speaking,  a  coterie  of  equal 
ability  and  equal  possibilities  with  those  who  plead,  and 
wrangled,  and  electioneered  together  in  Springfield.  Logan, 
one  of  the  finest  examples  of  the  purely  legal  mind  that  the 
West  has  ever  produced ;  M'Dougal,  who  afterward  sought  El 
Dorado  ;  Bissell,  and  Shields,  and  Baker,  brothers  in  arms  and 
in  council,  the  flower  of  the  Western  chivalry,  and  the  bright 
est  examples  of  Western  oratory ;  Trumbull,  then  as  now, 
with  a  mind  pre-eminently  cool,  crystalline,  sagacious  ;  Doug 
las,  heart  of  oak  and  brain  of  fire,  of  energy  and  undaunted 
courage  unparalleled,  ambition  insatiate  and  aspiration  unsleep 
ing  ;  Lincoln,  then  as  afterward,  thoughtful,  and  honest,  and 
brave,  conscious  of  great  capabilities  and  quietly  sure  of  the 
future,  before  all  his  peers  in  a  broad  humanity,  and  in  that 
prophetic  lift  of  spirit  that  saw  the  triumph  of  principles  then 
dimly  discovered  in  the  contest  that  was  to  come." 

In  1844,  Baker  was  sent  to  represent  the  Sangammon  Dis 
trict,  Illinois,  in  Congress,  and  was  found  in  his  seat  at  the 
moment  of  the  Mexican  war.  He  opposed  the  war  strenuously ; 
yet  the  restless  fire  in  his  heart  impelled  him  to  the  field.  Mr. 
Hay  rather  humorously  observed :  "  There  was  something  in 
his  veins  that  would  not  let  him  be  quiet  when  there  was  fight 
ing  going  on.  He  had  had  some  little  experience  of  soldiering 
in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Lincoln  was  a  Captain  then ;  Eobert 
Anderson  and  Jefferson  Davis  were  together  in  an  expedition 
up  the  Mississippi,  and  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Jefferson  Davis 
probably  bivouacked  together  in  the  Iowa  forests,  and  dreamed 
of  battles  by  the  dying  fire."  Very  few  Western  men  of  dis 
tinction  of  the  elder  generation,  who  have  not  had  early  expe 
rience  in  the  use  of  arms  in  defense  of  their  firesides. 


220  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Baker  left  the  Halls  of  Congress,  and  proceeded  to  recruit 
the  Fourth  Illinois  regiment  in  Springfield.  With  them  lie 
embarked  for  Metamoras.  From  thence  he  returned  to  Wash 
ington  upon  important  business  and  as  bearer  of  special  dis 
patches.  He  resumed  his  seat  in  Congress  long  enough  to 
make  a  powerful  speech  in  behalf  of  the  volunteers.  Then, 
resigning  his  membership,  he  returned  to  the  seat  of  war,  to 
find  his  regiment  at  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz.  Assuming  the 
active  command,  he  passed  with  the  army  into  the  interior  by 
the  National  Road.  At  Cerro  Gordo  heights,  the  first  engage 
ment  after  leaving  Yera  Cruz,  Shields — to  whose  brigade  the 
Fourth  Illinois  was  attached — was  shot  through  the  body,  and, 
as  was  then  supposed,  was  mortally  wounded.  Baker,  as 
senior  Colonel,  assumed  the  brigade  command,  instantly,  and 
bore  out  the  responsible  duty  entrusted  to  the  battalions  of 
Shields.  He  led  the  flank  charge  upon  the  Mexican  rear 
battery,  which  crossed  and  enfiladed  the  road,  and  thus  secured 
their  way  open  for  a  retreat  The  charge  was  a  most  gallant 
affair,  capturing  the  battery  and  cutting  off  the  Mexicans  from 
escape. 

He  served  out  the  war,  returning  home  with  the  reputation 
of  being  a  competent,  courageous,  and  spirited  officer. 

Baker  was  succeeded  in  Congress  by  Abraham  Lincoln.  He 
did  not  settle  again  in  Springfield,  but  at  Galena.  A  few 
months  residence  there  served  to  give  him  such  a  popular 
ascendancy  that  he  was  again  elected  to  Congress — this  time  in 
a  district  which  had  for  years  been  Democratic.  Baker  was  a 
Whig,  as  was  Abraham  Lincoln-  -a  devoted  admirer  and  fol 
lower  of  the  principles  of  Henry  Clay ;  and  his  election  from 
that  Democratic  District,  where  the  influence  of  Douglas  then 
was  measurably  felt,  proves  the  strength  of  his  personal 
popularity. 

It  was  on  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in 
Washington,  in  1850,  that  he  pronounced  his  eulogy  on  General 
Taylor — his  old  leader-in-arms,  and  his  personal  friend.  That 
effort  has  been  pronounced  one  of  the  most  splendid  efforts  of 
oratory  ever  listened  to  within  those  walls,  and  will  remain  a 


OF     THE     WAK.  221 

monument  to  his  memory  if  eloquence  and  extraordinary 
power  over  human  passions  constitute  a  claim  to  remembrance. 

His  term  expiring  with  the  session  of  1850,  Baker,  finding 
his  professional  business  in  Illinois  seriously  interrupted  by 
four  years  absence  in  Mexico  and  at  Washington,  and  finding 
it  necessary  to  take  some  active  measures  for  the  comfort  of 
his  growing  family,  effected  a  contract  with  the  newly-organized 
Panama  Kailroad  Company,  in  pursuance  of  which  he  collected 
and  conveyed  to  Panama  four  hundred  laborers,  with  whom 
he  rendered  most  important  aid  to  that  great  enterprise.  In  sur 
veying  and  cutting  out  the  track  through  those  deep,  dark 
morasses,  frequently  passing  the  whole  day  in  slimy  swamps, 
teeming  with  venomous  insects  and  reptiles,  his  health  gave 
way,  and,  senseless  and  apparently  dying  from  a  severe  attack 
of  Panama  fever,  he  was  carried  on  board  a  vessel  and  re 
moved  to  New  York.  He  escaped  with  his  life,  but  shattered 
in  constitution,  and  ten  years  older  in  appearance. 

In  1852,  having  measurably  recovered,  Colonel  Baker 
removed  with  his  family  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  practised 
law  with  distinction  and  success ;  and  as  a  forensic  and  political 
orator,  was  without  a  rival  in  that  young  State,  whose  Bar, 
culled  as  it  is,  from  all  the  States  of  the  Union,  is  so  rich  in 
ability.  If  Colonel  Baker  had  stopped  when  he  returned  from 
Mexico,  we  should  all  have  said  he  was  a  remarkable  man  to 
distinguish  himself  in  so  many  and  such  diverse  pursuits — in 
the  Court  Room,  and  in  the  forum,  on  the  stump  and  halls  of 
legislation.  But  he  did  not  stop ;  he  went  to  California  with 
his  family  in  1852,  and  there  he  became  as  active  and  promi 
nent  as  he  had  been  in  Illinois  ;  perhaps  more  successful  as  a 
public  speaker.  We  have  heard  Californians  represent  the 
effects  of  his  speaking  in  San  Francisco,  where  ten  thousand 
people  assembled  to  hear  him  at  once ;  and  from  the  days  that 
Demosthenes  harangued  the  Greeks,  no  orator  has  been  more 
successful  than  he  in  the  Golden  State.  It  made  no  difference 
what  the  occasion,  the  call  was  for  Baker.  Were  they  to  con 
secrate  a  cemetery,  he  was  the  orator ;  were  they  to  bury  in 
that  cemetery  some  martyr  to  freedom,  he  pronounced  the 


222  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

funeral  oration.  In  politics,  lie  led  the  van  of  the  Republican 
forces  ;  he  stumped  the  State,  and  would  have  been  elected  to 
Congress,  if  some  hundreds  of  votes  more  than  his  party  com 
manded,  could  have  done  it.  In  law,  he  was  retained  to  do 
the  most  important  pleading,  as  Choate  was  in  his  time  in 
Massachusetts. 

Mr.  Hay  says :  "  When  a  man  went  to  talk  for  Fremont 
among  the  squatters  of  Mariposa,  or  inveigh  against  slavery 
among  the  refuse  ruffianism  of  the  Gulf,  that  haunted  Yuba 
and  Sonoma,  or  expound  a  hated  doctrine  to  the  desperadoes 
of  Tuolumne,  he  took  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  considered  his 
pistols  and  knife  as  necessary  companions  as  his  pamphlets 
and  papers.  And  who  was  so  qualified  as  Baker  for  a  strife 
like  this  ?  His  geniality  beguiled  as  much  as  his  courage  im 
pressed.  Because  he  was  always  known  t^>  be  ready  for  a  fight, 
it  was  ne^fcr  necessary.  He  won  the  hearts  of  the  rough  peo 
ple  who  cursed  his  doctrine,  and  his  name  became  coupled  in 
the  mouths  of  the  mountaineers  with  every  expletive  of  pro 
fane  admiration.  He  was  utterly  at  home  on  the  hustings. 
Those  who  are  acquainted  only  with  his  grave  senatorial  efforts 
can  form  no  adequate  idea  of  the  ready,  sparkling,  ebullient 
wit — the  glancing  and  playful  satire,  mirthful  while  merciless 
— the  keen  syllogisms — and  the  sharp  sophisms,  whose  fala- 
cies,  though  undiscoverable,  were  perplexing — and  the  sudden 
splendors  of  eloquence  that  formed  the  wonderful  charm  tff 
his  backwoods  harangues.  His  fame  became  co-extensive  with 
the  coast ;  and  the  people,  in  allusion  to  '  the  good  gray  head 
which  all  men  knew,'  used  to  call  him  the  :  Gray  Eagle.' 

"  Years  passed  on,  and  Baker  made  money  and  friends  in 
California.  At  last  the  great  party  of  the  North  became 
divided  on  the  interminably  vexing  question  of  slavery  in  the 
Territories.  Broderick — one  of  the  truest  diamonds  that  ever 
existed  in  the  rough- — after  battling  with  unavailing  pluck  for 
what  he  deemed  truth  and  justice  in  the  Senate,  came  back  to 
rally  his  clansmen  for  conflict  with  a  haughty  and  implacable 
organization.  Here  was  a  conflict  that  at  once  enlisted  all  the 
soul  of  Baker.  It  was  not  so  forlorn  in  prospect  as  his  former 


OF     THE     WAR.  223 

one,  and  a  glimmer  of  hope  is  very  inspiriting  in  politics.  A 
coalition  was  effected  between  the  Republicans  and  the  Dong- 
las  Democrats,  by  which  Baker  and  M'Kibbin  became  the 
candidates  for  Congress  against  the  distinctive  pro-slavery 
men.  The  story  of  that  well-fought  campaign  was  not  a  par 
ticularly  pleasant  one.  It  was  like  all  sndden  insurrections  of 
free  thought  and  manhood  against  powerful  and  disciplined 
tyranny.  The  Broderick  ticket  was  defeated,  and  the  baffled 
Senator  was  bullied  into  a  criminal  folly  that  his  better  judg 
ment  condemned,  and  was  slain.  His  last  words  were,  '  They 
have  killed  me  because  I  was  opposed  to  the  extension  of  slav 
ery  and  a  corrupt  Administration.' 

"  The  words  and  the  event  fell  heavily  on  the  heart  of  the 
nation.  Far  more  t  crushingly  they  rested  on  the  saddened 
spirits  of  his  friends.  The  dull  heaviness  of  their  grief  forbade 
parade,  and  made  ceremony  mockery.  The  American  mind 
runs  naturally  to  committees  when  great  men  fall  But  there 
was  that  within  the  hearts  of  Broderick's  friends,  like  the  an 
guish  of  the  royal  Dane,  'passing  show.'  By  common  con 
sent  Baker  was  the  funeral  orator.  With  none  of  the  ordinary 
accessories  of  solemn  burials,  the  dead  Senator  lay  in  the  great 
square  of  the  city,  and  the  saddened  people  flocked  silently  to 
the  scene.  From  all  the  streets  of  the  crowded  town  they 
gathered  in  ,the  hush  of  the  autumnal  noon,  till  the  square  was 
filled  with  the  mourning  multitudes,  whispering  with  lowered 
voices  of  the  virtues  of  the  departed,  and  striving  to  come 
near  enough  to  gaze  upon  the  calm  features  of  the  murdered 
tribune,  turned  stonily  to  the  brightness  of  the  skies.  Aloft 
the  church  bells  were  jangling  mournfully,  and  their  wild 
lament,  floating  down  to  earth,  deepened  the  emotion  of  the 
hour.  As  their  ringing  vibrated  into  silence  the  voice  of  the 
orator  stole  out  upon  the  air,  tremulous  with  tender  feeling 
and  musical  with  the  memories  of  dead  friendship.  The  mind 
of  the  mighty  multitude,  softened  by  the  excitement  of  their 
sorrow,  lay  plastic  to  his  hand,  and  for  an  hour  the  homage 
of  tears  and  sobs  was  paid  to  Baker's  genius  and  Broderick's 
memory,  until  he  ended  in  those  grandly  pathetic  words,  whose 


224:  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

touching  music  breathes  alike  the  abandon  of  sorrow  and  the 
joy  of  ultimate  fame  : 

"  '  The  last  word  must  be  spoken,  and  the  imperious  man 
date  of  death  must  be  fulfilled.  Thus,  0  brave  heart !  we  bear 
thee  to  thy  rest.  Thus,  surrounded  by  tens  of  thousands,  we 
leave  thee  to  the  equal  grave.  As  in  life,  no  other  voice 
among  us  so  rang  its  trumpet  blast  upon  the  ear  of  freemen, 
so  in  death  its  echoes  will  reverberate  amidst  our  mountains 
and  our  valleys  until  truth  and  valor  cease  to  appeal  to  the 
human  heart. 

"  '  Good  friend  !  true  hero  !  hail  and  farewell !' 

"It  is  worth  while  to  die  if  one  could  be  mourned  so 
gloriously." 

The  murder  of  Broderick  by  Judge  Terry — then  serving  on 
the  bench — and  the  shocking  perversion  of  justice  by  which 
the  murderer  was  allowed  his  liberty,  after  a  mockery  of  a  trial 
in  a  court  composed  of  his  political  friends — so  oppressed 
Baker's  spirits  as  to  make  him  resolve  to  abandon  California. 
The  anti- Administration  men  of  Oregon  wanted  a  leader — one 
who  could  rally  all  the  elements  of  the  Opposition  to  the  one 
point  of  defeating  the  Gwin-Lane  Democracy.  Baker  was 
solicited,  and  accepted  that  leadership.  He  removed  at  once 
to  Oregon,  and  entered  upon  the  canvass  with  a  spirit  which 
proved  how  much  his  heart  was  in  the  work  of  defeating  the 
enemies  of  law,  order  and  human  rights — for  such  he  deemed 
the  Breckenridge-Lane  party  in  Oregon.  He  gave  his  entire 
time  up  to  the  work,  vainly  hoping  that,  even  in  the  face  of 
the  overwhelming  majority  of  south-side  Democrats,  he  might 
succeed  in  sending  Daniel  Segar  to  Congress.  Segar  was  an 
Illinois  man,  of  fine  character,  and  talents  of  a  high  order, 
chosen  for  his  excellence  to  contest  the  supremacy  of  the 
Breckenridge  Democracy  ;  but,  so  immensely  was  the  majority 
against  him  that,  in  spite  of  Baker's  and  his  own  almost 
incredible  exertions,  he  was  defeated — ballot-box  fraud  being 
resorted  to  in  many  "  hard"  localities,  to  serve  a  hard  end,  as 
was  the  case  in  Kansas.  Segar  was  defeated  ;  but  the  Legisla 
ture  chosen  was  so  strongly  anti-Administration  as  to  elect 


OF     THE     WAR.  225 

Baker  to  represent  Oregon  in  the  United  States  Senate — aii 
honor  he  had  long  coveted,  and  one  for  which  he  was  emi 
nently  fitted.  ISTo  abler  man  could  have  been  selected  to 
attend  to  the  interests  of  his  section,  and  of  the  country,  in  the* 
stirring  crisis  at  hand. 

Baker's  services  in  the  Senate  were  brief,  but  brilliant.  He 
arrayed  himself  upon  the  side  of  the  Administration ;  "  the 
Union  at  all  hazards,"  became  his  motto  at  an  early  moment 
of  the  Congressional  struggle  with  Secession.  His  first  effort 
was  his  memorable  reply  to  Benjamin,  of  Louisiana — delivered 
in  the  Senate,  Wednesday,  January  2d.  His  fame  as  an  orator 
drew  to  the  Senate  Hall  one  of  the  most  brilliant  audiences 
ever  assembled  within  those  sounding  walls.  The  orator  fully 
answered  public  expectation.  Two  afternoon  sessions  were 
consumed  in  its  delivery.  It  was  so  exhaustive  as  an  argu 
ment  against  Secession  and  of  the  demands  of  those  whom  Ben 
jamin  represented,  and  so  clear  in  its  exposition  of  the  Union 
policy,  as  to  give  great  satisfaction  to  the  loyal  public. 

Mr.  Hay  says:  "He  was  especially  great  upon  great  occa 
sions.  He  was  a  man  whom  the  subtle  magnetism  of  events 
always  inspired.  Those  who  heard  will  surely  never  forget 
the  magnificent  burst  of  red-hot  rhetoric  with  which  he  electri 
fied  the  crowding  thousands  that  filled  Union  Square  last 
April.  It  was  a  mighty  assemblage — great  in  numbers — tre 
mendous  in  earnestness — awful  in  aroused  enthusiasm.  We 
saw  that  day  how  hard  it  was  for  common  men  to  address  that 
crowd.  Some  simply  raved,  mastered  by  emotion.  Some, 
wishing  to  be  solemn,  prosed.  There  were  few  who  could  ride 
on  that  whirlwind,  and  direct  that  storm.  Baker  was  one. 
From  the  instant  when  his  graceful  form  was  discovered  on 
the  stand — his  handsome  face,  pale  but  quiet ;  his  eye  fierce 
in  its  brilliancy ;  his  white  hair  crowning  the  splendid  head 
like  a  halo ;  and  the  tones  of  his  clear,  firm  voice,  rang  out  on 
the  air  in  the  words :  '  The  majesty  of  the  people  is  here  to-day 
to  sustain  the  majesty  of  the  Constitution' — to  the  moment 
when  he  closed  in  a  gust  of  passionate  plaudits,  he  held  the 
audience  fettered  and  still  A  visible  thrill  ran  through  the 
29 


226  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

dense  mass  when,  in  closing,  he  consecrated  himself  anew  to 
the  service  of  his  country  in  these  words  of  exquisite  melody : 

"  '  And  if  from  the  far  Pacific  a  voice,  feebler  than  the 
feeblest  murmur  upon  its  shore,  may  be  heard  to  give  you 
courage  and  hope  in  the  contest,  that  voice  is  yours  to-day  ; 
and  if  a  man  whose  hair  is  gray,  who  is  well-nigh  worn  out  in 
the  battle  and  toil  of  life,  may  pledge  himself  on  such  an  occa 
sion  and  in  such  an  audience,  let  me  say — as  my  last  word — • 
that,  as  when,  amidst  sheeted  fire  and  flame,  I  saw  and  led  the 
hosts  of  New  York  as  they  charged  in  contest  upon  a  foreign 
soil,  for  the  honor  of  your  flag  ;  so  again,  if  Providence  shall 
will  it,  this  feeble  hand  shall  draw  a  sword  never  yet  dis- 
hono'red,  not  to  fight  for  distant  honor  in  a  foreign  lancT,  but 
to  fight  for  country,  for  home,  for  law,  for  Government,  for 
Constitution,  for  right,  for  freedom,  for  humanity,  and  in  the 
hope  that  the  banner  of  my  country  may  advance,  and  where 
soever  that  banner  waves,  there  glory  may  pursue  and  freedom 
be  established !' 

"  This  was  no  idle  trick  of  rhetoric.  Before  the  echoes  of 
his  words  had  died,  he  was  hard  at  work  recruiting  the  Cali 
fornia  regiment.  It  filled  rapidly.  Men  came  from  a  distance 
to  join  in  squads  or  singly.  Many  came  from  Philadelphia 
and  its  outlying  country.  He  liked  to  receive  those.  '  There 
must  be  a  fighting  streak  somewhere  about  us  Quakers,'  he 
used  to  say.  There  was  an  inspiration  in  this  man's  words 
and  presence  that  made  men  love  to  fight  under  him.  His 
regiment  soon  was  over-full.  The  President  appointed  him  a 
Brigadier-General.  He  declined  it  The  same  friendly  hand 
desired  to  place  upon  his  shoulder-straps  the  double  star  of  a 
Major-General.  He  quietly  refused  it,  and  kept  the  eagles  to 
which  his  regiment  entitled  him.  As  for  honors,  he  had 
enough  of  them  in  another  field.  He  went  into  this  war  for 
use,  not  fame." 

The  end  was  rapidly  approaching.  Baker  flitted  in  and  out 
of  Washington  like  a  spirit — a  restless,  eager,  devoted  servant 
of  his  country,  of  his  troops,  of  his  friends.  One  day  he  would 
be  in  his  seat  in  the  Senate  Chamber  to  dash  in  a  few  strokes 


OF    THE     WAR.  227 

of  eloquent  appeal  or  stirring  sarcasm — the  next,  out  on  the 
field,  manoeuvering  his  regiment,  to  make  it,  in  drill  and 
soldierly  accomplishments,  worthy  of  the  first  place  he  hoped 
to  acquire  by  its  service.  His  reply,  in  August,  to  Brecken- 
ridge,  in  the  United  States  Senate,  was  his  last  effort.  Colonel 
Forney  said : 

"  Breckenridge  was  delivering  a  set  disunion  harangue,  as 
ingenious  and  able  as  any  heard  on  behalf  of  Secession. 
Baker,  whose  camp  was  a  mile  or  two  from  the  Capitol,  entered 
the  Senate  Chamber  hastily  from  the  duties  of  a  drill,  while 
Breckenridge  was  speaking.  He  was  presently  called  into  the 
lobby  by  a  message  from  Mr.  Holt,  of  Kentucky,  who  begged 
him  to  reply  to  Breckenridge,  as  no  one  else  would  probably 
be  ready  to  do  so.  He  did  so  off-hand,  when  Breckenridge 
sat  down,  and  made  one  of  the  most  thrilling  speeches  which 
had  been  heard  for  years  in  the  chamber.  It  squelched  Mr. 
Breckenridge.  Who  would  not  rather  now  be  Baker  dead 
than  Breckenridge  living." 

A  settled  conviction  of  his  early  death  pressed  upon  him. 
To  a  friend  he  remarked,  in  August,  that  he  had  made  his  last 
appearance  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  saying :  "I  am  certain 
I  shall  not  live  through  this  war,  and  if  my  troops  should  show 
any  want  of  resolution,  I  shall  fall  in  the  first  battle.  I  can 
not  afford,  after  my  career  in  Mexico,  and  as  a  Senator  of  the 
United  States,  to  turn  my  face  from  the  enemy."  There  was 
no  gloom  or  depression  in  his  manner,  ;  it  was  characterized 
by  a  temperate  earnestness  which  carried  conviction  to  the 
mind  of  his  friend  of  its  fatal  truth.  Mr.  Hay  relates,  in 
affecting  terms,  Baker's  last  visit  to  Washington  and  to  the 
President's  mansion,  where  he  ever  was  a  welcome  guest.  He 
says :  "  Why  that  solemn  farewell  to  his  parents,  panned  by 
the  dauntless  Ellsworth,  as  live  a  man  as  ever  breathed,  in  the 
dead  of  the  last  midnight  that  he  ever  watched  ?  Why  the 
strange  reckless  bewilderment  of  the  brave  Lyon  on  that  dis 
astrous  day,  when  his  gallant  heart  was  breaking  under  the 
double  conviction  that  death  had  marked  him,  and  the  Govern 
ment  had  forgotten  him  ?  Colonel  Baker  for  several  days  was 


228  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

oppressed  by  this  overhanging  consciousness.  He  became  as 
restless  as  an  eagle,  in  his  camp.  He  came  down  to  Washing 
ton  and  settled  all  his  affairs.  He  went  to  say  farewell  to  the 
family  of  the  President.  A  lady — who  in  her  high  position  is 
still  gracefully  mindful  of  early  friendships — gave  him  a  bou-> 
quet  of  late  flowers.  {  Yery  beautiful,'  he  said,  quietly,  '  these 
flowers  and  my  memory  will  wither  together.'  At  night  he 
hastily  reviewed  his  papers.  He  indicated  upon  each  its  proper 
disposition  '  in  case  I  should  not  return.'  He  pressed  with 
quiet  earnestness  upon  his  friend  Colonel  Webb,  who  depre 
cated  such  ghostly  instructions,  the  measures  which  might 
become  necessary  in  regard  to  the  resting-place  of  his  mortal 
remains.  All  this  without  any  ostentation.  He  performed  all 
these  offices  with  the  quiet  coolness  of  a  soldier  and  a  man  of 
affairs,  then  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  gayly  away  to  his 
death." 

The  rest  of  the  tragedy  is  related  in  the  story  of  the  Ball 
Bluff  disaster.  It  is  a  painful  chapter  to  peruse,  but  one  which 
ever  comes  out  of  the  horrid  drama  of  war.  Oh,  how  many 
tragedies  will  blot  and  blur  the  page  of  Christian  history  when 
the  story  of  the  rebellion  is  all  written  !  The  land  is  filled 
with  mourning.  Everywhere  are  the  weeds  of  wo.  At  almost 
every  fireside  sits  a  spectre — the  spirit  of  one  gone  forever. 
Men  haunt  the  streets  bereft  of  limbs,  or  scarred  fearfully,  or 
wasted  by  suffering  and  disease.  The  graveyards  are  filled 
with  long  rows  of  mounds,  beneath  each  of  which  sleeps  one 
around  whose  life  so  many  hopes,  so  much  affection  clustered. 
Every  grave  is  the  stanza  of  a  National  requiem.  A  sorrow  lays, 
night  and  day,  by  threshholds  where  peace  and  happiness  once 
were  ceaseless  visitants.  Little  children  look  up  in  tears  to 
tell  us  of  him  whose  loss  no  human  agency  can  replace. 
Widows,  and  orphans,  and  the  childless  walk  in  our  midst, 
separated  from  us  by  a  sorrow  which  no  human  sympathy  can 
bridge  over  or  obliterate. 

This  is  the  fruit  of  treason. 


JOSEPH  HOLT  AND  THE   KENTUCKY   SOLDIERS. 

No  firmer  patriot  graced  the  trying  times  of  61-62  than 
Joseph  Holt  of  Kentucky.  In  the  cabinet  of  Mr.  Buchanan, 
at  a  late  day — when  it  would  seem  as  if  a  dissolution  of  the 
Union  was  not  only  to  be  accomplished,  but  the  country  to 
be  thoroughly  humiliated — he  had  the  nerve  to  face  the  crisis 
and  the  ability  to  cope  with  it.  In  conjunction  with  General 
Dix,  Attorney-General  Stanton  and  General  Scott,  he  labored 
with  almost  superhuman  energy  to  stay  the  terrible  tide  of 
treason  then  sweeping  everything  before  it ;  and  he  succeeded 
so  admirably  that,  when  Mr.  Lincoln  came  into  power,  the 
country  hoped  to  see  Mr.  Holt  continued  in  the  Cabinet.  He 
did  not  remain,  however,  in  the  Cabinet,  though  he  continued 
to  give  all  his  time  and  abilities  to  his  country's  service. 
Kentucky  balanced  in  the  throes  of  revolution,  and  he  has 
tened  to  the  aid  of  those  sustaining  the  cause  of  the  Union, 
speaking,  writing  and  talking  for  the  Federal  Government, 
sustaining  the  Administration  in  its  attitude  of  offense  against 
the  rebellion,  and  opposing  the  "  neutrality"  which  Kentucky 
Legislators  had  prescribed  as  their  duty.  His  labors  added  so 
much  to  the  strength  of  the  actively  loyal  element  that  he  soon 
had  the  satisfaction  of  finding  Kentucky's  quota  of  troops  for 
National  service  rapidly  gathering  in  the  field,  under  tried  and 
true  Kentucky  leaders. 

The  Kentucky  troops  gathered  at  "Camp  Jo  Holt,"  in  Indi 
ana—where  General  Rousseau  was  in  command— before  to  taking 


230  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

the  field  in  their  own  State  against  the  Confederates  then  pre 
paring  for  the  subjugation  of  Kentucky.  These  troops  he  vis 
ited  prior  to  the  day  named  for  their  departure,  and  addressed 
them  (July  31st)  on  the  crisis  and  their  duty  as  citizens  and 
soldiers.  That  address  is  worthy  of  repetition,  for  the  nobility 
of  its  sentiments,  the  strength  of  its  lessons  and  the  moral  of  its 
teachings.  We  take  pleasure  and  pride  in  reproducing  such 
portions  of  it  as  our  space  and  plan  permit  He  said : 

"  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  occupy  you  with  any  political  dis 
cussion.  The  gleaming  banner,  the  glistening  bayonets,  and 
the  martial  music,  and,  indeed,  all  that  meets  the  eye  or  the 
ear  upon  this  tented  field,  admonish  me  that  with  you  at  least 
the  argument  is  exhausted,  and  that  you  have  no  longer  doubts 
to  solve  or  hesitating  convictions  to  confirm.  Your  resolution 
is  taken,  and  you  openly  proclaim  that,  let  others  do  as  they 
will,  as  for  yourselves,  unchilled  by  the  arctic  airs  of  neutrali 
ty,  you  are  determined  to  love  your  country,  and,  unawed  by 
traitors,  to  fight  its  battles,  and,  if  need  be,  to  lay  down  your 
lives  for  its  preservation.  It  is  indeed  transporting  to  the  pa 
triot's  heart  to  look  upon  the  faces  of  men  thus  sublimely  re 
solved;  and  there  is  to  me  a  positive  enchantment  in  the  very 
atmosphere  whose  pulsations  have  been  stirred  by  the  breath 
ings  of  their  heroic  spirits.  Now  that  the  booming  of  the  can 
non  of  treason  and  the  cry  of  men  stricken  unto  death  for 
fidelity  to  our  flag,  are  borne  to  us  on  almost  every  breeze,  it 
is  harrowing  to  the  soul  to  be  dragged  into  companionship  with 
those  who  still  vacillate,  who  are  still  timidly  balancing  chances 
and  coldly  calculating  losses  and  gains ;  who  still  persist  in 
treating  this  agonized  struggle  for  national  existence  as  a  petty 
question  of  commerce,  and  deliberately  take  out  their  scales 
and  weigh  in  our  presence  the  beggarly  jewels  of  trade  against 
the  life  of  our  country. 

"  Soldiers :  next  to  the  worship  of  the  Father  of  us  all,  the 
deepest  and  grandest  of  human  emotions  is  the  love  of  the  land 
that  gave  us  birth.  It  is  an  enlargement  and  exaltation  of  all 
the  tenderest  and  strongest  sympathies  of  kindred  and  of  home. 
In  all  centuries  and  climes  it  has  lived  and  defied  chains  and 


OF    THE    WAR.  281 

dungeons  and  racks  to  crush  it.  It  has  strewed  the  earth  with 
its  monuments,  and  has  shed  undying  lustre  on  a  thousand 
fields  on  which  it  has  battled.  Through  the  night  of  ages, 
Thermopylae  glows  like  some  mountain  peak  on  which  the 
morning  sun  has  risen,  because  twenty -three  hundred  years 
ago,  this  hallowing  passion  touched  its  mural  precipices  and 
its  crowning  crags.  It  is  easy,  however,  to  be  patriotic  in 
piping  times  of  peace,  and  in  the  sunny  hour  of  prosperity.  It 
is  national  sorrow,  it  is  war,  with  its  attendant  perils  and  hor 
rors,  that  tests  this  passion,  and  winnows  from  the  masses  those 
who,  with  all  their  love  of  life,  still  love  their  country  more. 
While  your  present  position  is  a  most  vivid  and  impressive  il 
lustration  of  patriotism,  it  has  a  glory  peculiar  and  altogether 
its  own.  The  mercenary  armies  which  have  swept  victorious 
ly  over  the  world  and  have  gathered  so  many  of  the  laurels  that 
history  has  embalmed,  were  but  machines  drafted  into  the  ser 
vice  of  ambitious  spirits  whom  they  obeyed,  and  little  under 
stood  or  appreciated  the  problems  their  blood  was  poured  out 
to  solve.  But  while  you  have  all  the  dauntless  physical  cour 
age  which  they  displayed,  you  add  to  it  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  argument  on  which  this  mighty  movement  proceeds,  and 
a  moral  heroism  which,  breaking  away  from  the  entanglements 
of  kindred,  and  friends,  and  State  policy,  enables  you  to  follow 
your  convictions  of  duty,  even  though  they  should  lead  you 
up  to  the  cannon's  mouth.  It  must,  however,  be  added  that 
with  elevation  of  position  come  corresponding  responsibilities. 
Soldiers  as  you  are  by  conviction,  the  country  looks  not  to 
your  omcers,  chivalric  and  skilful  as  they  may  be,  but  to  you 
and  to  each  of  you,  for  the  safety  of  those  vast  national  inte 
rests  committed  to  the  fortunes  of  this  war.  Your  camp  life 
will  expose  you  to  many  temptations  ;  you  should  resist  them 
as  you  would  the  advancing  squadrons  of  the  enemy.  In  every 
hour  of  peril  or  incitement  to  excess,  you  will  say  to  yourselves, 
"  Our  country  sees  us,"  and  so  act  as  to  stand  forth  soldiers,  not 
only  without  fear,  but  also  without  reproach.  Each  moment 
not  absorbed  by  the  toils  and  duties  of  your  military  life, 
should,  as  far  as  practicable,  be  devoted  to  that  mental  and 


232  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

moral  training  without  which  the  noblest  of  volunteers  must 
sink  to  a  level  with  an  army  of  mercenaries.  Alike  in  the  in 
action  of  the  camp  and  amid  the  fatigues  of  the  march,  and 
the  charge  and  shouts  of  battle,  you  will  remember  that  you 
have  in  your  keeping  not  only  your  own  personal  reputation, 
but  the  honor  of  your  native  State,  and,  what  is  infinitely  more 
inspiring,  the  honor  of  that  blood-bought  and  beneficent  Re 
public  whose  children  you  are.  Any  irregularity  011  your 
part  would  sadden  the  land  that  loves  you ;  any  faltering  in 
the  presence  of  the  foe  would  cover  it  with  immeasurable  hu 
miliation.  You  will  soon  mingle  in  the  ranks  with  the  gallant 
volunteers  from  the  North  and  the  West,  and  with  me  you  will 
admire  their  moderation,  the.ir  admirable  discipline,  and  that 
deep  determination,  whose  earnestness  with  them  has  no  lan 
guage  of  menace,  or  bluster,  or  passion.  When  the  men  from 
Banker  Hill  and  the  men  from  the  '  dark  and  bloody  ground,' 
unestranged  from  each  other  by  the  low  arts  of  politicians, 
shall  stand  side  by  side  on  the  same  national  battle-field,  the 
heart  of  freedom  will  be  glad. 

"  The  Government  has  been  like  a  strong  swimmer  suddenly 
precipitated  into  the  sea,  and  like  that  swimmer  it  has  unhesi 
tatingly  and  most  justifiably  seized  upon  any  and  every  instru 
mentality  with  which  it  could  subdue  the  treacherous  currents 
and  waves  by  which  it  has  found  itself  surrounded.  All  that 
was  irregular  or  illegal  in  the  action  of  the  President  has  been 
fully  approbated  by  the  country,  and  will  no  doubt  be  appro 
bated  by  Congress,  on  the  broad  and  incontestable  principle 
that  laws  and  usages  of  administration  designed  to  preserve 
the  existence  of  the  nation  should  not  be  suffered  to  become 
the  instruments  of  its  death.  So,  for  the  future  I  do  not  hesi 
tate  to  say  that  any  and  every  measure  required  to  save  the 
Eepublic  from  the  perils  that  beset  it  not  only  may,  but  ought 
to  be,  taken  by  the  Administration,  promptly  and  fearlessly. 
Within  so  brief  a  period  no  such  gigantic  power  has  ever 
been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  any  government  as  that  which 
has  rallied  to  the  support  of  this  within  the  last  few  months, 
through  those  volunteer  who  have  poured  alike  from  hill  and 


OF     THE     WAR.  233 

valley,  city  and  village,  throughout  the  loyal  States.  All 
classes  and  all  pursuits  have  been  animated  by  the  same  lofty 
and  quenchless  enthusiasm. 

"  While,  however,  I  would  make  no  invidious  distinctions, 
where  all  have  so  nobly  done  their  duty,  I  cannot  refrain  from 
remarking  how  conspicuous  the  hard-handed  tillers  of  the  soil 
of  the  North  and  "West  have  made  themselves  in  swelling  the 
ranks  of  oar  army.  We  honor  commerce  with  its  busy  marts, 
and  the  workshop  with  its  patient  toil  and  exhaustless  inge 
nuity,  but  still  we  would  be  unfaithful  to  the  truth  of  history 
did  we  not  confess  that  the  most  heroic  champions  of  human 
freedom  and  the  most  illustrious  apostles  of  its  principles  have 
come  from  the  broad  fields  of  agriculture.  There  seems  to  be 
something  in  the  scenes  of  nature,  in  her  wild  and  beautiful 
landscapes,  in  her  cascades,  and  cataracts,  and  waving  wood 
lands,  and  in  the  pure  and  exhilarating  airs  of  her  hills  and 
mountains,  that  unbraces  the  fetters  which  man  would  rivet 
upon  the  spirit  of  his  fellow-man.  It  was  at  the  handles  of 
the  plough  and  amid  the  breathing  odors  of  its  newly-opened 
furrows  that  the  character  of  Cincinnatus  was  formed,  expand 
ed  and  matured.  It  was  not  in  the  city  full,  but  in  the  deep 
gorges  and  upon  the  snow-clad  summits  of  the  Alps,  amid  the 
eagles  and  the  thunders,  that  William  Tell  laid  the  founda 
tions  of  those  altars  to  human  liberty,  against  which  the  surg 
ing  tides  of  European  despotism  have  beaten  for  centuries, 
but,  thank  God,  have  beaten  in  vain.  It  was  amid  the  prime 
val  forests  and  mountains,  the  lakes  and  leaping  streams  of 
our  own  land  ;  amid  fields  of  waving  grain  ;  amid  the  songs 
of  the  reaper  and  the  tinkling  of  the  shepherd's  bell  that  were 
nurtured  those  rare  virtues  which  clustered  star-like  in  the 
character  of  Washington,  and  lifted  him  in  moral  stature  a 
head  and  shoulders  above  even  the  demi-gods  of  ancient  story. 

K  There  is  one  most  striking  and  distinctive  feature  of  your 
mission  that  should  never  be  lost  sight  of.  You  are  not 
about  to  invade  the  territory  of  a  foreign  enemy,  nor  is  your 
purpose  that  of  conquest  or  spoliation.  Should  you  occupy 
the  South,  you  will  do  so  as  friends  and  protectors,  and  your 
30  '  u2 


234  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

aim  will  be  not  to  subjugate  that  betrayed  and  distracted 
country,  but  to  deliver  it  from  the  remorseless  military  despot 
ism  by  which  it  is  trodden  down.  Union  men,  who  are  your 
brethren,  tm^ng  in  those  States,  and  will  listen  for  the  coming 
footsteps  of  your  army,  as  the  Scottish  maiden  of  Lucknow 
listened  for  the  airs  of  her  native  land.  It  is  true,  that  amid 
the  terrors  and  darkness  which  prevail  there,  they  are  silenced 
and  are  now  unseen,  but  be  assured  that  by  the  light  of  the 
stars  you  carry  upon  your  banner  you  will  find  them  all. 

"  It  has  been  constantly  asserted  by  the  conspirators 
throughout  the  South  that  this  is  a  war  of  subjugation  on  the 
part  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  waged  for  the 
extermination  of  Southern  institutions,  and  by  vandals  and 
miscreants,  who,  in  the  fury  of  their  passions,  spare  neither 
age,  nor  sex,  nor  property.  Even  one  of  the  Confederate  gen 
erals  has  so  far  steeped  himself  in  infamy  as  to  publish,  in 
choice  Billingsgate,  this  base  calumny,  through  an  official 
proclamation.  In  view  of  what  Congress  has  recently  so  so 
lemnly  resolved,  and  in  view  of  the  continuous  and  consistent 
action  of  the  Administration  upon  the  subject,  those  who, 
through  the  press  and  public  speeches,  persist  in  repeating  the 
wretched  slander,  are  giving  utterance  to  what  everybody, 
themselves  included,  knows  to  be  absolutely  and  infamously 
false.  It  will  be  the  first  and  the  highest  duty  of  the  Amer 
ican  army  as  it  advances  South,  by  its  moderation  and  human 
ity,  by  its  exemption  from  every  excess  and  irregularity,  and 
by  its  scrupulous  observance  of  the  rights  of  all,  to  show  how 
foully  both  it  and  the  Government  it  represents  have  been 
traduced. 

"  When,  therefore,  you  enter  the  South,  press  lightly  upon  her 
gardens  and  fields  ;  guard  sacredly  her  homes  ;  protect,  if  need 
be,  at  the  point  of  your  bayonets,  her  institutions  and  her 
constitutional  rights,  for  you  will  thereby  not  only  respond 
fully  to  the  spirit  and  objects  of  this  war,  but  you  will  exert 
over  alike  the  oppressed  and  the  infatuated  portion  of  her 
people,  a  power  to  which  the  most  brilliant  of  your  military 
successes  might  not  attain.  But,  when  you  meet  in  battle 


OF     THE     WAR.  235 

array  those  atrocious  conspirators  who,  at  the  head  of  armies, 
and  through  woes  unutterable,  are  seeking  the  ruin  of  our 
common  country,  remember  that  since  the  sword  flamed  over 
the  portals  of  Paradise  until  now,  it  has  been  drawn  in  no 
holier  cause  than  that  in  which  you  are  engaged.  Remember, 
too,  the  millions  whose  hearts  are  breaking  under  the  anguish 
of  this  terrible  crime,  and  then  strike  boldly,  strike  in  the 
power  of  truth  and  duty,  strike  with  a  bound  and  a  shout, 
well  assured  that  your  blows  will  fall  •  upon  ingrates,  and  trai 
tors,  and  parricides,  whose  lust  for  power  would  make  of  this 
bright  land  one  vast  Golgotha,  rather  than  be  balked  of  their 
guilty  aims — and  may  the  God  of  your  fathers  give  ypu  the 
victory. 

"  Soldiers :  when  Napoleon  was  about  to  spur  on  his  legions 
to  combat  on  the  sands  of  an  African  desert,  pointing  them  to 
the  Egyptian  pyramids  that  loomed  up  against  the  far-off  hori 
zon,  he  exclaimed,  '  From  yonder  summits  forty  centuries  look 
down  upon  you.'  The  thought  was  sublime  and  electric ;  but 
you  have  even  more  than  this.  When  you  shall  confront 
those  infuriated  hosts,  whose  battle-cry  is,  'Down  with  the  Gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States,'  let  your  answering  shout  be. 
'  The  Government  as  our  fathers  made  it ; '  and  when  you 
strike,  remember  that  not  only  do  the  good  and  the  great  of  the 
past  look  down  upon  you  from  heights  infinitely  above  those 
of  Egyptian  pyramids,  but  that  uncounted  generations  yet  to 
come  are  looking  up  to  you,  and  claiming  at  your  hands  the 
unimpaired  transmission  to  them  of  that  priceless  heritage 
which  has  been  committed  to  our  keeping.  I  say  its  unim 
paired  transmission — in  all  the  amplitude  of  its  outlines,  in  all 
the  symmetry  of  its  matchless  proportions,  in  all  the  palpitat 
ing  fullness  of  its  blessings ;  not  a  miserably  shrivelled  and 
shattered  thing,  charred  by  the  fires  and  torn  by  the  tempests 
of  revolution,  and  all  over  polluted  and  scarred  by  the  bloody 
poinards  of  traitors. 

"Soldiers-:  you  have  come  up  to  your  present  exalted  po 
sition  over  many  obstacles  and  through  many  chilling  discour 
agements.  You  now  proclaim  to  the  world  that  the  battles 


INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

which  are  about  to  be  fought  in  defense  of  our  common  coun 
try,  its  institutions  and  its  homes,  are  jour  battles,  and  that 
you  are  determined  to  share  with  your  fellow-citizens  of  other 
States  alike  their  dangers  and  their  laurels ;  and  sure  I  am  that 
this  determination  has  been  in  nothing  shaken  by  the  recent 
sad  reverse  of  arms  whose  shadow  is  still  resting  upon  our 
spirits.  The  country  has  indeed  lost  a  battle,  but  it  has  not 
lost  its  honor,  nor  its  courage,  nor  its  hopes,  nor  its  resolution 
to  conquer.  One  of  those  chances  to  which  the  fortunes  of 
war  are  ever  subject,  and  against  which  the  most  consummate 
generalship  cannot  at  all  times  provide,  has  given  a  momentary 
advantage  to  the  forces  of  the  rebellion.  Grouchy  did  not 
pursue  the  column  of  Bulow,  and  thus  Waterloo  was  won  for 
"Wellington  at  the  very  moment  that  victory,  with  her  laurelled 
wreath,  seemed  stooping  over  the  head  of  Napoleon.  So  Pat 
terson  did  not  pursue  Johnston,  and  the  overwhelming  concen 
tration  of  rebel  troops  that  in  consequence  ensued  was  probably 
the  true  cause  why  the  army  of  the  United  States  was  driven 
back,  excellent  as  was  its  discipline,  and  self-sacrificing  as  had 
been  its  feats  of  valor.  Panics,  from  slight  and  seemingly  in 
significant  causes,  have  occurred  in  the  best  drilled  and  bravest 
of  armies,  and  they  prove  neither  the  want  of  discipline  nor  of 
courage  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers.  This  check  has  taught  us 
invaluable  lessons,  which  we  could  not  have  learned  from  vic 
tory,  while  the  dauntless  daring  displayed  by  our  volunteers, 
is  full  of  promise  for  the  future.  Not  to  mention  the  intrepid 
bearing  of  other  regiments,  who  can  doubt  oar  future  when  he 
recalls  the  brilliant  charges  of  the  New  York  Sixty-ninth,  arid 
of  the  Minnesota  First,  and  of  the  Fire  Zouaves  ?  Leonidas 
himself,  while  surveying  the  Persian  host,  that,  like  a  troubled 
sea,  swept  onward  to  the  pass  where  he  stood,  would  have  been 
proud  of  the  leadership  of  such  men.  We  shall  rapidly  recover 
from  this  discomfiture,  which,  after  all,  will  serve  only  to  nerve 
to  yet  more  extraordinary  exertions  the  nineteen  millions  of 
people  who  have  sworn  that  this  republic  shall  not  perish ;  and 
perish  it  will  not,  perish  it  cannot,  while  this  oath  remains. 
When  we  look  away  to  that  scene  of  carnage,  all  strewod  with 


OF    THE     WAR.  237 

the  bodies  of  patriotic  men  who  courted  death  for  themselves 
that  their  country  might  live,  and  then  look  upon  the  homes 
which  their  fall  has  rendered  desolate  forever,  we  realize — what 
I  think  the  popular  heart  in  its  forbearance  has  never  complete 
ly  comprehended — the  unspeakable  and  hellish  atrocity  of  this 
rebellion.  It  is  a  perfect  saturnalia  of  demoniac  passion.  From 
the  reddened  waters  of  Bull  Eun,  and  from  the  gory  field  of 
Manassas,  there  is  now  going  up  an  appeal  to  Grod  and  to  mil 
lions  of  exasperated  men,  against  those  fiends  in  human  shape, 
who,  drunken  with  the  orgies  of  an  infernal  ambition,  are  fill 
ing  to  its  brim  the  cup  of  a  nation's  sorrows.  Woe,  woe,  I  say, 
to  these  traitors  when  this  appeal  shall  be  answered  1 " 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    VIOLENCE    IN    THE    SOUTH. 

THE  Southern  States,  from  the  first  stages  of  their  rebellion 
against  the  Federal  Government,  put  forward  as  a  justification, 
the  oppressions  of  that  central  power,  and  cited  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  as  their  defence.  This  assumption  was  indig 
nantly  denied  by  Northern  men  ;  in  Congress  and  out  of  it  an 
overwhelming  sentiment  pronounced  the  rebellion  "  causeless, 
wicked,  and  unnatural,"  with  "  no  justification  in  the  law  of  the 
country,  nor  in  the  higher  law  of  self -protection."  From  this  dis 
cordance  sprung  the  passions  and  impulses  necessary  to  feed  the 
fires  of  discord  ;  and  watchful  "  guardians  of  Southern  inter- 


238  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

ests,"  were  not  slow  to  fan  the  flames  to  a  point  of  lawlessness 
necessary  to  "  precipitate"  States  into  the  vortex  of  insurrec 
tion.  Success  in  the  secession  movement  depended  solely  on 
the  ability  of  the  leaders  to  fire  the  popular  passions  to  the 
point  of  hate  of  the  North,  and  defiance  of  its  association. 
Without  a  complete  success  in  that  direction,  the  revolution 
would  become  nerveless  from  inanition.  A  thousand  devices 
were  conceived  to  accomplish  the  desired  end;  and  the  secret 
history  of  the  insurrection,  if  it  ever  shall  be  divulged,  will  be 
found  rich  in  intrigue,  profuse  in  duplicity,  mighty  in  false-' 
hood — all  directed  to  the  one  purpose  of  "  firing  the  Southern 
heart." 

The  repudiation  of  debts  due  to  Northern  merchants  and 
manufacturers,  became  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  exciting 
facts  of  the  Southern  movement.  It  argued  a  demoralized 
sentiment  of  probity,  which  equally  alarmed  and  angered  the 
Northern  people.  The  Southern  merchants  had,  in  exception 
to  all  commercial  usage,  obtained  credits  to  an  extraordinary 
amount,  upon  extraordinary  time.  A  customer  had  but  to 
say,  "  I  am  from  the  Cotton  States,"  in  order  to  obtain  almost 
any  credit  desired.  That  secret  and  powerful  inquisition,  the 
"  Commercial  Agency,"  was  scarcely  consulted  as  to  the 
Southerner's  personal  standing  and  commercial  responsibility 
— so  eager  was  the  deluded  merchant  to  secure  a  "  Southern 
trade."  The  wretched  list  of  failures  in  the  winter  and  spring 
of  1861  ever  will  remain  as  a  monument  of  Northern  commer 
cial  temerity  in  the  matter  of  Southern  credits. 

The  spirit  which  found  an  excuse  for  allowing  paper  to  go 
to  protest,  and  followed  the  protest  with  a  note  expressing 
satisfaction  at  the  refusal  to  pay,  soon  betrayed  itself  in  a 
passage  of  "  stay"  laws,  in  the  Seceded  States,  and  in  the  visi 
tations  of  violence  upon  all  agents  of  Northern  business  firms 
who  sought  out  the  recreant  debtor  in  hopes  of  obtaining  some 
satisfaction  for  the  overdue  claim.  Lawyers  banded  together 
not  to  receive  Northern  claims  for  collection,  while  the  people 
banded  together  to  drive  away  any  unlucky  wight  who  pro 
posed  to  do  what  the  lawyers  refused — to  collect  his  own 


OF     THE     WAR.  239 

accounts.  The  agents,  however,  soon  "  made  themselves 
scarce,"  as  the  vulgar,  but  significant,  announcements  in  the 
papers  recorded.  Tar  and  feathers,  and  an  escort  of  a  "  com 
mittee  of  citizens"  to  the  nearest  railway  station,  were  such 
inevitable  results  as  served  to  rid  an  "  indignant  community" 
of  all  "  Northern  vagabonds"  early  in  the  year  (1860.) 

These  occasional  persecutions  of  collectors  and  agents 
seemed  to  engender  an  appetite  for  the  excitement ;  and  it 
became  a  very  honorable  calling  for  committees  to  spy  out 
every  man  of  Northern  birth — to  seek  to  inculpate  him  in 
some  way,  in  order  to  allow  of  the  usual  warning  "  to  leave." 
As  early  as  February  (1861)  these  inquisitions  became  so 
frequent,  that  large  numbers  of  persons — chiefly  Northern-born 
mechanics  and  tradesmen,  who  haft  found  employ  and  a  busi 
ness  in  the  South — fled  for  their  lives,  leaving  behind  all  their 
possessions.  To  meet  these  refugees  in  Northern  cities  became 
of  such  frequent  occurrence,  in  February  and  March,  that  the 
public  almost  tired  of  their  uniform  stories  of  injuries  received 
and  sufferings  endured. 

The  spirit  of  anger  was  fast  culminating,  not  in  a  national, 
or  even  sectional  resentment,  but  in  a  species  of  inhuman 
personal  malice,  which  served  to  ally  that  revolution  to  the 
Sepoy  drama.  Lawlessness  towards  Government  soon  begat 
lawlessness  towards  society — the  dragon's  teeth  grew  with 
fearful  fecundity.  The  demoralization  betrayed  itself  even  in 
the  changed  tone  of  the  secession  portion  of  the  Southern 
press.  As  an  evidence,  we  may  quote  one  of  a  great  many 
similar  notices  made  of  General  Scott — even  by  professedly 
respectable  journals  like  the  Kichmond  Inquirer.  The 
Montgomery  (Alabama)  Mail  (February  6th)  contained  this 
paragraph. : 

"  We  observe  that  the  students  of  Franklin  College,  Georgia,  burned 
General  Scott  in  effigy  a  few  days  ago,  '  as  a  traitor  to  the  South.'  This 
is  well.  If  any  man  living  deserves  such  infamy,  it  is  the  Lieutenant- 
General  of  the  (Yankee)  United  States.  And  we  have  a  proposition  to 
make,  thereanent,  to  all  the  young  men  of  the  South,  wherever  scat 
tered,  at  school  or  college ;  and  that  is,  that  they  burn  this  man  in  effigy 
all  through  the  South,  on  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  March  next.  The 


240  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

students  of  the  South  are  an  important  class  of  our  rising  generation. 
Let  them  make  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  our  sunny  land,  to  which 
legend,  and  tale,  and  song,  shall  point  in  after  years.  General  Rcott 
deserves  this  grand  infamy.  He  is  a  traitor  to  the  soil  of  his  birth  • 
false  to  all  the  principles  of  the  Commonwealth  which  nurtured  him ; 
the  tool,  willing,  pliant,  and  bloody,  of  our  oppressors ;  and  it  is  meet 
that  his  name  should  descend  to  our  posterity  as  a  word  of  execration  ! 
What  say  the  students  ?" 

Some  notices  of  the  war- worn  veteran — who  had  added 
more  glory  to  the  American  name  than  any  man  since  the 
"  Father  of  his  Country" — were  so  violent  and  vulgar  as  to 
forbid  their  repetition  here,  even  though  they  might  reflect, 
with  stinging  severity,  upon  a  state  of  society  which  could  be 
pleased  with  such  impotent  malice. 

To  show  the  nature  of  tlie  persecutions  inflicted  on  those 
"  suspected,"  in  the  revolutionary  States,  we  shall  cite  a  few 
from  the  numerous  well-authenticated  instances,  that  they  may 
stand  before  a  Christian  world,  as  an  evidence  of  the  civiliza 
tion  which  springs  from  a  state  of  society  like  that  which  con 
trols  the  Southern  States  of  America. 

An  advertisement  appeared  in  a  New  York  daily,  February 
18th,  (1861)  as  follows  : 

"  FARMING  MANAGER. — An  Englishman  by  birth,  having  had  very 
extensive  experience  in  breeding,  raising,  buying  and  selling  of  all  kinds 
of  cattle  and  sheep  in  his  own  country,  and  who  has  been  engaged 
North  in  agriculture  for  three  years,  and  South  for  two,  is  on  his  way  to 
New  York,  having  been  expelled,  and  his  property  confiscated,  on  sus 
picion  of  being  opposed  to  Slavery.  He  would  like  to  engage  with  any 
gentleman  having  room  to  grow  grain  and  roots,  and  to  farm  on  a 
modern,  enlightened  system,  not  looking  to  corn  alone.  »He  is  forty, 
and  has  a  small  family.  Address  — ." 

This  case  was  that  of  a  person  named  Gardiner.  He  had 
taken  a  farm  "  on  shares,"  near  Wilmington,  North  Carolina. 
In  August,  September,  and  October,  he  labored  assiduously 
and  successfully,  and  got  a  good  start.  In  the  Fall  he  obtained 
about  sixty  dollars  worth  of  seeds  from  New  York,  ready  for 
his  Spring  planting.  He  was  astounded,  one  day  in  February, 
to  be  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison,  upon  representation  of 
the  fellow  whose  farm  he  occupied,  that  he  (Gardiner)  was  a 


OF     THE     WAE.  241 

"  dangerous"  man.  Gardiner  procured  bail  from  some  of  his 
countrymen,  but  these  men  were  compelled  to  withdraw  their 
bond,  under  threats  of  a  similar  course  towards  themselves  for 
being  "  dangerous"  citizens.  The  matter  was  "  compromised, 
out  of  consideration  for  his  (Gardiner's)  wife  and  children,"  by 
having  his  household  goods  hastily  thrust  on  a  little  schooner 
— on  which  Gardiner  and  his  family,  perfectly  penniless,  were 
sent  to  New  York  All  his  property  and  improvements  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  good  Southern  Eights  man  who  had 
instigated  the  mob,  and  compelled  the  authorities  to  the  deed 
of  violence. 

Two  Jersey  men  were  hung  in  the  vicinity  of  Charleston, 
early  in  February,  for  "  suspicion  of  tampering  with  slaves." 
An  English  captain  was  served  with  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers 
in  Savannah,  in  January,  for  having  allowed  a  stevedore 
(black)  to  sit  down  with  him  at  the  dinner-table.  Another 
Englishman,  belonging  in  Canada,  sailed  on  a  vessel  trading 
along  coast  At  Savannah,  the  vessel  was  visited  by  a  negro 
having  fruit  to  sell.  On  leaving,  the  black  man  asked  for  a 
newspaper,  and  one  was  given  him  which  happened  to  contain 
one  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher's  sermons.  The  black  was  caught 
by  his  master  reading  the  "  incendiary"  document.  Eefusing 
to  tell  how  he  obtained  it,  he  was  ordered  to  the  whipping 
post,  and  flogged  until  he  "confessed."  The  vessel  was 
boarded  by  the  authorities,  and  a  demand  made  for  the 
astonished  Canadian.  The  captain,  however,  stood  before  him 
as  a  British  subject ;  and,  by  agreeing  to  ship  the  culprit  North, 
by  the  next  day's  steamer,  succeeded  in  saving  him  from  the 
mob  that  stood  ready  on  the  shore  to  lynch  him.  He  was 
placed  on  the  steamer,  on  the  morrow,  when  two  "  officials" 
came  forward  with  a  writ,  which  they  agreed  not  to  serve  if 
the  poor  fellow  would  pay  them  fifty  dollars.  This  he  gladly 
paid}  and  was  suffered  to  depart,  "  out  of  consideration  for  his 
being  a  British  subject"  Had  he  been  a  Yankee,  he  would 
have  been  hung. 

The  following  item  appeared  ID  the  Eufaula  (Ala.)  Express, 
(February  6th :) 
31  V 


242  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  A  SUSPICIOUS  INDIVIDUAL. — The  worthy  captain  of  the  Home 
Guards  arrested  a  man  on  last  Tuesday,  upon  complaint  made  by  one  or 
two  of  our  citizens.  The  charge  was  the  use  of  improper  language  in 
regard  to  the  acts  and  position  of  the  Southern  people  at  this  time. 
Some  of  the  expressions  used  by  this  traveling  Yankee  were,  that  Bob 
Toombs  is  a  traitor,  and  that  the  Secessionists  are  thieves  and  robbers, 
and  that  he  fully  endorsed  everything  contained  in  the  Knoxville  Whig, 
in  regard  to  coercion,  etc.  After  the  examination,  which  brought  out 
the  foregoing  facts,  the  committee  of  five  members  of  the  Home  Guards, 
appointed  to  investigate  the  matter,  announced  as  their  decision  that  as 
the  individual  under  arrest  was  only  guilty  of  using  improper  language, 
they  would  set  him  at  liberty,  with  a  request  to  settle  his  business  and 
leave  as  soon  as  possible.  An  application  of  tar  and  feathers  wouldn't 
be  at  all  amiss  in  such  cases.  The  man's  name  is  M.  A.  Smith.  He  is 
traveling  agent  for  Scovil  &  Mead,  of  New  Orleans,  druggists.  He  will 
bear  watching.  Pass  him  around." 

Mr.  Smith,  proceeded  on  his  way.  At  Abbeville,  (Ala.,)  he 
was  again  "  apprehended."  The  Vigilance  Committee  relieved 
him  of  his  horse  and  buggy,  $356  in  money,  and  all  his 
papers.  Then,  taking  him  to  a  grove  one-half  mile  from  town, 
he  was  hung.  No  legal  proceedings  were  had  in  his  case — no 
evidence  existed  as  to  his  asserted  "  crime,"  except  the  news 
paper's  statement.  He  was  dealt  with  according  to  the  law  of 
the  super-judicial  Vigilance  Committee. 

It  has  been  denied  that  Southern  men  ever  permitted  the 
roasting  alive  of  slaves,  guilty  of  the  high  crime  of  murder  of 
masters,  or  of  the  more  heinous  and  diabolical  nameless  crime 
against  females.  Proof  to  the  contrary,  however,  not  only  is 
not  wanting,  but  is  quite  abundant,  which  goes  to  show  that 
that  horrible  and  barbarous  mode  of  execution  has  been  re 
sorted  to  for  lesser  crimes  than  those  indicated — even  upon 
suspicion.  A  case  in  point  was  freely  narrated  by  the  Harris 
County  (Geo.)  Enterprise,  in  February.  On  the  14th  of  that 
month  a  lady  named  Middlebrook,  being  alone  in  her  house, 
was  alarmed,  early  in  the  morning,  by  the  entrance  of  'some 
person.  "  She  hailed  the  intruder,"  the  paper  stated,  who,  to 
silence  her  cries,  took  her  from  her  bed,  and,  carrying  her 
across  the  yard,  "threw  her  over  the  fence."  This  was  all. 
No  violence  upon  her  person,  no  maiming — only  "  the  fiend  " 


OF     THE     WAR.  243 

abused  her  in  a  "most  shameful  manner."  He  was  alarmed 
by  two  negro  women,  and  fled.  The  neighborhood  was 
aroused.  The  lady  stated  that  she  believed  the  perpetrator  of 
the  outrage  to  have  been  a  negro  man,  named  George.  The 
newspaper  account  then  states  : 

"  Dogs  having  been  procured,  the  track  was  pursued  to  a  neighboring 
house,  where  the  boy  George  had  a  wife,  and  thence  to  the  residence  of 
Mr.  John  Middlebrook.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  was  thought  ad 
visable  to  arrest  the  negro,  which  was  done,  and  after  an  investigation 
before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  he  was  duly  committed,  and  placed  in  the 
jail  in  this  place,  as  we  thought,  to  await  his  trial  at  the  April  term  of 
our  Superior  Court. 

"  On  Monday  morning  last  a  crowd  of  men  from  the  country  assembled 
in  our  village,  and  made  known  their  intention  to  forcibly  take  the 
negro  George  from  the  jail,  and  execute  him  in  defiance  of  law  or  oppo 
sition.  Our  efficient  sheriff,  Major  Hargett,  together  with  most  of  our 
citizens,  remonstrated,  persuaded,  begged,  and  entreated  them  to  desist, 
and  reflect  for  a  moment  upon  the  consequences  which  might  follow 
such  a  course,  but  without  avail.  Major  Hargett  promised  to  guarantee 
the  safe-keeping  of  the  prisoner  by  confining  him  in  any  manner  they 
might  suggest,  and  our  citizens  proposed  to  guard  the  jail  night  and 
day,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  There  was  no  appeasing  them.  They  rushed 
to  the  jail,  and,  despite  of  all  remonstrances,  with  axe,  hammer,  and 
crow-bar,  violently  broke  through  the  doors,  and  took  the  prisoner  out, 
carrying  him  about  two  miles  from  town,  where  they  chained  him  to  a 
tree,  and  burned  Mm  to  death. 

"  We  understand  that  the  negro  protested  his  innocence  with  his  last 
breath,  though  repeatedly  urged  to  confess." 

This  horrible  record  could  be  written  of  no  civilized  country 
on  the  globe  save  of  the  Southern  States  of  America.  How 
that  last  paragraph  rings  out  its  silent  imprecation  upon  a 
state  of  society  which  would  allow  such  a  deed  to  be  commit 
ted  on  its  soil !  These  murderers  were  "  citizens,"  and,  of 
course,  never  were  even  questioned  as  to  their  crime  ;  it  was 
only  a  suspected  negro  whom  they  burned.  This  deed  was 
committed  about  fifty  miles  above  Eufaula. 

Atlanta  (Geo.)  boasted  of  as  violent  a  people  as  Enfaula  or 
Abbeville.  The  same  spirit  which  roasted  a  suspected  negro 
would  have  hung  a  white  man  who  might  have  been  guilty 
of  offence  to  the  sensitive  people.  The  Intelligencer,  of  Atlanta, 


24A  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

in  February,  thus  paragraphed  the  public  sentiment  of  that 
locality,  in  regard  to  the  editor  of  the  Nashville  (Tenn.)  Demo 
crat,  who  had  pronounced  Jefferson  Davis  a  great  humbug  : 

"  If  Mr.  Hurley  will  come  to  Atlanta,  we  take  the  responsibility  of 
saying  that  his  tavern  bill  or  his  burial  expenses  shall  not  cost  him  any 
thing.  The  only  thing  which  strikes  our  astonishment  is,  that  the 
people  of  Nashville  would  tolerate  such  a  paper  as  the  Democrat  in  their 
midst.  General  Jackson,  whose  bones  repose  within  twelve  miles  of 
the  City  of  Nashville,  doubtless  turned  in  the  grave  when  such  abom 
inable  doctrines  were  permitted  to  go  forth  from  a  Nashville  paper." 

These  "  abominable  doctrines"  were,  loving  the  Union  more 
than  the  newly-hatched  Southern  Confederacy — that  was  all. 
How  many  men  were  hung  for  the  same  crime  in  that  delec 
table  neighborhood,  the  Vigilance  Committee  only  knew. 

The  statement  of  Mary  Crawford,  made  public  in  the  winter 
of  1861,  detailed,  with  painful  minuteness,  the  sad  story  of  her 
husband's  awful  murder  in  Tarrant  County,  Texas,  July  17th, 
1860.  The  man  was  taken  on  suspicion  of  being  an  Abolitionist, 
and,  after  being  shot,  was  hung.  The  wretched  wife,  informed 
by  her  two  little  boys  (who  had  been  with  their  father  out  to 
haul  wood,  when  Crawford  was  seized)  of  their  fears,  had 
started  out  to  learn  something  of  her  husband's  fate.  She  had 
proceeded  but  a  short  distance  when  a  party  of  men  informed 
her,  with  indifference,  that  her  husband  was  hung.  The 
narrative  read  : 

"  They  took  me  back  to  the  place  we  had  been  living  in.  My  grief, 
my  indignation,  my  misery,  I  have  no  words,  no  desire  to  describe.  The 
body  was  not  brought  to  me  until  night,  and  only  then  by  the  direction 
of  Captain  Dagget,  a  son-in-law  and  partner  of  Turner  (for  whom  Craw 
ford  had  done  much  work,)  who  had  been  a  friend  to  my  husband,  and 
was  the  only  man  of  any  influence  who  dared  to  befriend  me.  He  had 
been  away  from  home,  and  did  not  return  until  after  the  murder  had 
been  done.  He  denounced  the  act,  and  said  they  killed  an  innocent 
man." 

The  local  newspaper — the  Fort  Worth  Chief— thus  chronicled 
the  tragedy : 

"  MAN  HUNG. — On  the  17th  instant,  was  found  the  body  of  a  man  by 
the  name  of  William  H.  Crawford,  suspended  to  a  pecan-tree,  aboub 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  town.  A  large  number  of  persons  visited 


OF     THE     WAR.  245 

the  body  during  the  day.  At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  the  same  even 
ing,  strong  evidence  was  adduced  proving  him  to  have  been  an  Abo 
litionist.  The  meeting  endorsed  the  action  of  the  party  who  hung  him. 
Below  we  give  the  verdict  of  the  jury  of  inquest : 

"  '  We,  the  jury,  find  that  William  H.  Crawford,  the  deceased,  came  to  his  death 
by  being  hung  with  a  grass  rope  tied  around  his  neck,  and  suspended  from  a  pecan 
limb,  by  some  person  or  persons  to  the  jurors  unknown.  That  he  was  hung  on 
the  17th  day  of  July,  1860,  between  the  hours  of  9  o'clock  A.M.  and  1  o'clock  p.  M. 
We  could  see  no  other  marks  of  violence  on  the  person  of  the  deceased.'  " 

This  man  Turner — a  lawyer,  and  an  owner  of  forty  slaves — • 
was  one  of  those  persons  who  arraigned  Crawford  in  the  pre 
sence  of  his  little  boys,  and  had  borne  him  away  from  their 
sight  to  hang  him.  The  jury  took  no  steps,  of  course,  to  learn 
anything  in  regard  to  the  murderers.  Indeed,  the  act  was  not 
only  justified,  but,  out  of  it,  grew  an  organization  which  suc 
ceeded  in  whipping,  banishing,  and  hanging  over  two  hundred 
persons — three  Methodist  ministers  included — in  the  course  of 
the  succeeding  three  months,  under  plea  of  their  being  "  Abo 
lition  emissaries,"  who  had  instigated  the  burning  of  property, 
and  incited  negroes  to  run  away.  The  report  of  that  meeting 
deserves  repetition,  in  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
slave  districts  care  for  their  morals  and  their  safety : 

"  At  a  large  and  respectable  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Tarrant 
County,  convened  at  the  Town  Hall,  at  Fort  Worth,  on  the  18th  day 
of  July,  1860,  pursuant  to  previous  notice,  for  the  purpose  of  devising 
means  for  defending  the  lives  and  property  of  citizens  of  the  county 
against  the  machinations  of  Abolition  incendiaries,  J.  P.  Alford  was 
called  to  the  chair,  and  J.  0.  Terrell  was  appointed  Secretary.  After 
the  object  of  the  meeting  was  explained  by  Colonel  C.  A.  Harper,  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted : 

"  '  Whereas,  The  recent  attempts  made  to  destroy  several  neighboring  towns  by 
fire,  the  nearly  total  destruction  of  one  of  them,  coupled  with  the  conversation 
and  acts  of  one  W.  H.  Crawford,  who  was  hung  in  this  county  on  the  17th  instant, 
prove  conclusively  to  us  the  necessity  of  an  organized  effort  to  ferret  out  and 
punish  Abolition  incendiaries,  some  of  whom  are  believed  to  be  in  our  county. 
Therefore,  to  discover  and  punish  said  Abolitionists,  and  to  secure  the  lives  and 
property  of  our  citizens,  be  it 

"  '  Resolved,  That  we  endorse  the  action  of  those  who  hung  W.  H.  Crawford  in 
this  county  on  the  17th  instant,  convinced  as  we  are,  from  the  evidence  upon  which 
he  was  hung,  that  he  richly  deserved  his  fate. 

"  '  Resolved,  That  a  Central  County  Committee  be  appointed  by  the  President, 
consisting  of  seven  citizens,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  appoint  such  Commiitees  in 

v2 


246  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

every  precinct  in  the  county,  which  sub-Committees  shall  confer  with  and  report 
to  the  Central  Committee  the  names  of  all  suspected  persons  in  their  precincts, 
which  persons  shall  be  dealt  with  according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  Central 
Committee. 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  members  of  this  meeting  hereby  pledge  themselves  to  sup 
port  said  Central  Committee  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty  in  dealing  with  Aboli 
tionists  and  incendiaries. 

"  '  JAMES  P.  ALFORD,  Chairman. 

"  '  J.  C.  TERRELL,  Secretary.' 

"  The  Central  Committee  hereby  notify  all  persons  connected  with  or 
holding  Abolition  sentiments  to  leave  the  county  forthwith,  or  they 
may  possibly  have  cause  to  regret  remaining." 

It  is  probable  that  every  one  of  the  men  persecuted  were  as 
innocent  of  offense  as  Crawford.  "  Abolition  emissaries"  were 
not  necessary  to  instruct  negroes  how  to  fire  houses.  The 
"Abolitionists"  were,  without  exception,  men  having  a  calling, 
and  pursuing  it  peaceably ;  but,  being  Northerners,  and  living 
without  holding  slaves,  were  proofs  conclusive  of  their  danger- 
our  character  to  the  "highly  respectable  citizens"  of  Texas. ^ 

The  case  of  Mrs.  Catharine  Bottsford,  as  published  at  length 
in  the  New  York  Tribune  of  March  22 d,  afforded  the  age  with 
an  evidence  that  even  in  the  civilized  city  of  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  an  intelligent,  honorable,  and  unprotected  lady  could 
be  thrown  into  prison  and  be  made  to  suffer  indignities  be 
cause  some  person  had  said  she  had  "tampered  with  slaves." 

Arthur  Eobinson,  of  New  Orleans,  publisher  of  the  True 
Witness,  a  religious  paper  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  de 
nomination,  was  arrested,  and  thrown  into  prison  without  the 
usual  forms  of  law.  After  laying  there  some  time,  he  was 
taken  into  the  criminal  court  for  trial.  The  indictment,  how 
ever,  was  so  ignoraiitly  drawn  that  he  was  set  at  liberty  pend 
ing  a  second  arrest  His  friends  managed  to  effect  his  escape 
up  the  river.  He  lost  every  thing.  His  "crime"  was,  not  in 
saying  or  publishing  anything  offensive,  but  a  "  committee" 

*  When  Wigfall  stated,  on  the  floor  of  the  United  States  Senate, 
that  men  were  hanging  from  trees  in  Texas  for  opinion's  sake,  he  was 
known  to  tell  the  truth,  then,  for  a  certainty.  Lovejoy,  of  Illinois,  in 
vain  tried  to  get  the  case  of  the  Methodist  ministers,  (one  of  whom  was 
hung  and  others  whipped,)  before  Congress. 


OF     THE     WAR.  247 

having  searched  his  premises,  found  "  seditious"  literature  in 
his  possession,  and  for  that  he  was  made  to  suffer.  He  would 
have  been  consigned  to  the  State's  Prison  for  having  the  Bos 
ton  Liberator  on  his  exchange  list,  had  it  not  been  for  the  flaw 
in  his  first  indictment,  and  his  escape  from  another  arrest. 

John  Watt,  a  citizen  of  Michigan,  was  working  near  Yicks- 
burg,  Mississippi,  in  January.  While  under  the  influence  of 
liquor  a  "committee"  extracted  from  him  "dangerous  senti 
ments,"  and  he  was  taken  over  the  river  into  Louisiana  and 
hung,  and  his  body  left  hanging  to  the  tree. 

The  first  officer  of  the  bark  Indian  Queen  made  a  statement 
in  the  New  York  journals,  March  16th,  to  the  effect  that  the 
vessel  put  into  St.  Marks,  Florida,  in  January — himself  and 
his  second  officer  both  being  ill  of  the  Chagres  fever.  Both 
were  sent  ashore  to  the  United  States  Marine  Hospital  at  that 
place,  for  proper  care,  while  the  vessel  anchored  in  the  harbor 
below,  to  await  their  recovery.  As  soon  as  Florida  seceded, 
(January  llth,)  the  Hospital  was  seized  and  the  invalids  turn 
ed  out.  The  vessel  lay  at  anchor  about  ten  miles  below  the 
town.  She  had,  as  part  of  her  crew,  seven  colored  seamen — • 
all  able  and  trusty  fellows.  A  plot  was  hatched  to  seize  all 
these  men  and  sell  them  into  slavery — a  judge  of  the  Supreme 
(State)  Court  being  one  of  the  conspirators.  The  plot  was  re 
vealed  to  the  captain  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He  arose, 
hired  a  steamer,  ran  down  to  his  vessel,  and  had  her  towed  out 
to  sea,  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  Florida.  The  discomfited 
citizens  swore  dreadfully  over  their  disappointment 

The  same  officer  stated  that,  a  few  days  after  the  Ordinance 
of  Secession  was  passed,  a  resident  of  St..  Marks  remarked  that 
the  South  was  wrong  and  the  North  right  in  the  controversy. 
Whereupon,  he  was  seized,  stripped,  whipped,  and  started  "out 
of  the  country." 

"  Mr.  H.  Turner,  a  New  Hampshire  man,  had  for  several 
years,  spent  the  winter  on  the  plantation  of  Woodworth  &  Son, 
near  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  Before  the  Presidential  elec 
tion,  in  reply  to  the  question  of  a  fellow- workman,  he  had 
stated  that,  if  he  held  the  casting  vote,  it  should  be  given  for 


248  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Lincoln.  Two  weeks  after  the  election  lie  was  visited  by  two 
members  of  a  "  Yigilance  Committee,"  who  asked  if  what  had 
been  reported  was  true.  He  answered  that  he  had  made  that 
single  remark  to  a  fellow- workman,  but  to  no  other  person.  A 
warrant  for  his  arrest,  as  an  incendiary  and  Abolitionist,  was 
produced,  and  he  was  taken  to  Charleston  to  jail.  Around  the 
jail  a  mob  of  "  citizens"  gathered,  demanding  that  the  jailor 
should  give  up  the  prisoner  to  them.  It  was  only  dispersed 
by  the  horse  patrol.  He  was  allowed  neither  food  nor  water. 
On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  succeeding  his  arrest,  he  was  taken 
before  the  "Vigilance  Association  Tribunal,"  for  examination. 
Confessing,  again,  that  he  had  said  to  the  workman  what  was 
reported,  he  was  remanded  back  to  jail,  to  be  passed  over  to 
the  Criminal  Court.  The  "  Judge"  of  the  Tribunal  treated  the 
prisoner  with  a  choice  lecture,  chiefly  composed  of  oaths  and 
imprecations.  He  was  placed  in  a  bare  cell,  where  the  night 
was  spent ;  and  only  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day's  con 
finement  was  he  allowed  food,  consisting  of  a  small  piece  of 
black  bread  and  a  pint  of  bad  water.  For  fourteen  weeks  this 
man  lay  in  that  wretched  dungeon.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the 
son  of  his  employer  came  to  the  jail,  and  stated  that  his  wages, 
$248,  still  due,  should  be  paid  him,  and  his  release  procured, 
if  he  would  leave  at  once.  This  promise  was  gladly  given. 
He  was  taken  to  the  steamer  amid  the  hootings  and  howlings 
of  a  mob,  which  made  threats  of  lynching.  On  the  way  to 
the  steamer,  he  called  upon  a  watchmaker  for  a  fine  watch  he 
had  left  for  repairs  before  his  arrest.  The  watchmaker  bade 
him,  with  an  oath,  to  leave  his  premises.  Once  on  the  steam 
er,  he  expected  his  wages,  as  promised ;  but  he  received  no 
thing,  and  was  permitted  to  work  his  passage  to  New  York, 
where  he  arrived  in  a  perfectly  destitute  condition. 

Captain  E.  W.  Eider,  of  the  bark  Julia  E.  Aery,  and  his  &on 
James  B.  Kyder,  as  mate,  were  landing  a  cargo  at  Encero 
Mills,  Camden  County,  Georgia,  in  November,  1860,  when  a 
negro  came  aboard  the  vessel  with  oars  to  sell  None  being 
wanted,  he  was  sent  away.  He  paid  a  second  visit,  and  some 
clothes  were  intrusted  to  him  to  wash,  upon  his  telling  that  lie 


»>  OF    THE     WAR  249 

belonged  to  a  Dr.  Nichols,  living  near.  That  afternoon  five 
men  came  to  the  vessel,  and  demanded  the  right  to  search  for 
the  negro.  The  captain  gave  permission  fgr  the  search,  freely, 
but  stated  that  the  fellow  had  gone  ashore,  taking  with  him 
some  clothes  to  wash.  The  five  men  completed  the  search 
which,  it  became  evident  to  the  captain,  was  but  a  cover  for 
the  "  citizens"  to  examine  his  cargo,  his  means  of  resistance, 
&a,  as  well  as  to  discover,  if  possible,  some  "Abolition  lite 
rature"  by  which  to  seize  the  entire  crew  and  vessel  as  "  dan 
gerous  to  the  peace  of  the  community."  The  "  Committee" 
returned  on  the  following  day,  late  in  the  evening.  It  had 
grown  to  fifteen  in  number,  who  proceeded  to  thoroughly  ran 
sack  the  vessel's  hold.  Every  chest  and  bunker  were  over 
hauled.  Nothing  "  dangerous"  being  found,  the  "  Committee" 
passed  on  shore  where,  summoning  the  negroes  who  had  been 
engaged  in  unloading  the  vessel,  they  examined  them  as  to 
the  conversations  on  the  vessel.  Six  of  them  were  finally  most 
unmercifully  whipped,  to  make  them  "  confess."  What  they 
confessed,  was  not  known  to  the  captain ;  but,  as  they  prob 
ably  stated  anything  required,  the  mob,  it  soon  became  evi 
dent,  was  ready  for  proceedings.  The  captain  and  his  son 
went  before  the  "  Committee"  and  stated  that,  not  only  had 
no  conversation  been  had,  but  that  they  had  positively  forbid 
den  any  unnecessary  communication  between  his  men  and  the 
negroes — that  one  or  the  other  of  the  officers  always  was  pre 
sent,  to  see  that  orders  were  obeyed.  This  did  not  satisfy  the 
"  Committee,"  and  the  two  were  taken  to  the  jail  at  Jefferson, 
fifteen  miles  away.  There  they  were  again  arraigned  before 
another  "Vigilance  Association,"  and  charged  with  being 
Abolitionists — a  charge  which  both  men  denied  as  unfounded 
in  proof.  No  proof  being  produced,  they  were  allowed  to 
spend  that  night  at  a  hotel  A  cook  (black)  from  another 
vessel  was  produced  on  the  succeeding  morning,  who  stated 
that  he  had  heard  both  white  men  say  they  were  Kepublicans, 
and  would  have  voted  for  Mr.  Lincoln  if  an  opportunity  had 
offered.  The  black  fellow  who  had  taken  the  clothes  to  wash, 
was  then  brought  forward,  and  he  corroborated  the  statement 
32 


250  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

of  the  other  black  man.  This  was  deemed  evidence  conclu 
sive  to  the  "  Committee,"  and  the  sentence  of  a  public  flogging 
was  immediately  decreed  against  both  father  and  son.  This 
was  deemed  a  lenient  punishment — hanging  was  the  usual 
mode  of  treating  "  such  scoundrels."  The  inhuman  wretches 
took  their  prisoners,  to  the  front  of  the  court-house,  where,  both 
being  stripped  to  the  waist  and  tied  to  a  tree,  they  were  whip 
ped —  twenty -five  blows  with  heavy  leather  thongs  being 
administered  to  each.  The  elder  Ryder,  being  an  old  man, 
was  a  terrible  sufferer  under  the  horrible  infliction.  After 
"  punishment"  both  were  thrust  into  cells  in  the  jail.  The 
large  crowd  which  witnessed  the  whipping  enjoyed  it,  appa 
rently  with  a  real  zest,  as  it  jeered  and  laughed  vociferously 
during  the  brutal  punishment  The  two  men  lay  fourteen  days 
in  that  jail,  suffering  exquisite  tortures  from  their  wounds. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  five  men  came,  took  them  out,  carried 
them  to  their  vessel,  and  remained  until  the  craft  stood  out 
to  sea. 

This  instance  of  atrocious  wrong  was  simply  one  of  several 
similar  cases  inflicted  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The  civil 
ized  world  may  be  excused  for  doubting  evidence  so  inhuman  ; 
but,  there  is  no  room  for  disbelief  when  an  old  man's  scarred 
back  is  exhibited  to  the  pitying  eye. 

We  may  close  this  revolting  record  with  the  following  state 
ment  made  by  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  of  May  18th,  1861  : 

"  Nearly  every  day  some  fresh  arrivals  of  refugees  from  the  violence  and 
ferocity  of  the  New  Dahomey  bring  to  this  city  fresh  and  corroborative 
proofs  of  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  rebel  States.  Many  of  these  have 
come  thence  at  the  peril  of  their  lives,  and  to  avoid  threatened  death,have 
taken  a  hurried  journey  surrounded  by  thick  dangers  from  the  madmen 
who  now  fill  the  South  with  deeds  of  violence  and  bloodshed. 

"The  people  in  that  section  seem  to  have  been  given  up  to  a  madness 
that  is  without  parallel  in  the  history  of  civilization — we  had  almost 
written  barbarism.  They  are  cut  off  from  the  news  of  the  North,  pur 
posely  blinded  by  their  leaders  as  to  the  movements  and  real  power  of  the 
Government,  and  in  their  local  presses  receive  and  swallow  the  most  out 
rageous  falsehoods  and  misstatements. 

"  Yesterday,  one  William  Sillirnan,  a  person  of  intelligence  and  reli 
ability,  reached  this  city,  returning  from  a  year's  residence  in  Southern 


OF     THE     WAR.  251 

Mississippi.  He  was  one  of  a  party  who,  in  1860  went  from  this  city  and 
engaged  in  the  construction  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Eailroad. 

"  Mr.  Silliman,  for  several  months  past,  has  lived  in  Cupola,  Itawamba 
County,  one  of  the  lower  tier  of  counties,  two  hundred  miles  from  New 
Orleans,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  Mobile.  He  says  a  more 
blood-thirsty  community  it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive.  Perfect  terror 
ism  prevails,  and  the  wildest  outrages  are  enacted  openly  by  the  rebels, 
who  visit  with  violence  all  suspected  of  loyalty,  or  withholding  full  ad 
herence  to  the  kingdom  of  Jefferson  Davis.  Could  the  full  history  of  these 
outrages  be  written,  and  that  truthfully,  many  and  most  of  its  features 
would  be  deemed  incredible  and  monstrous,  belonging  to  another  age,  and 
certainly  to  another  country  than  our  own. 

"  The  party  who  is  suspected  of  hostility,  or  even  light  sympathy,  with 
the  rebellion,  is  at  once  seized.  He  is  fortunate  if  he  is  allowed  to  leave 
in  a  given  time,  without  flogging.  He  is  still  fortunate  if  only  a  flog 
ging  is  added  to  the  order  to  depart.  Many  have  been  hung  or  shot  on 
the  spot.  Mr.  Silliman  details  five  instances  of  the  latter  as  having  oc 
curred  among  the  amiable  people  of  Itawamba  County,  within  the  past 
ten  weeks,  of  several  of  which  he  was  the  eye-witness,  a  mob  wreaking 
their  vengence  upon  their  victims  under  the  approval  of  local  authorities. 
These  five  men  were  Northerners,  at  different  times  assailed  by  the  rebels. 
Three  of  them  were  strangers  to  all  about  them. 

"  On  Saturday  of  last  week  a  man  was  hung  at  Guntown,  who  refused 
to  join  the  rebel  army,  and  also  refused  to  leave.  He  was  taken  to  a  tree 
in  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  and  left  hanging  to  a  limb.  He  had  a 
family  in  the  place.  Guntown  is  ten  miles  from  Cupola.  The  same  day, 
at  Saltillo,  a  man  was  hung  under  similar  circumstances,  and  still  anoth 
er  at  Vonona,  where  a  traveller  was  seized  in  passing  through  the  place. 
All  these  towns  are  within  twenty  miles  circuit  of  Cupola,  where  Mr.  Silli 
man  resided.  He  says  that  he  can  recall  twelve  instances  of  killing, 
whipping,  and  other  outrages  thus  visited  upon  the  victims  of  the  rebels 
in  that  vicinity,  within  the  past  two  months.  Many  have  been  waiting 
in  the  hope  that  the  storm  would  '  blow  over,'  but  have,  one  after  the 
other,  been  forced  to  submit  or  seek  safety  in  flight." 

The  instances  herein  given  are  such  as  seemed  to  us  to  be 
so  verified  as  to  admit  of  no  doubt  as  to  their  entire  truthful 
ness.  Many  others  made  public,  and  some  of  a  most  outra 
geous  character,  which  have  been  repeated  to  us  by  refugees 
in  person,  we  have  refrained  from  referring  to,  since  a  sus 
picious  public  might  question  the  authenticity  of  their  unsup 
ported  statements.  Enough  has  been  given  to  throw  an  his 
torical  light  upon  the  animus  of  the  Southern  people  engaged 


252  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

in  the  revolution.  The  future  historian  of  the  great  rebellion 
will  not  fail  to  discover  in  that  spirit,  not  only  a  key  to  the 
social  state  of  that  section  of  the  country,  but  will,  if  he  be  a 
disciple  of  Schlegel,  find  in  it  an  effect  of  a  cause — which  cause 
had  sedulously,  and  for  generations,  insensibly  underminded 
the  moral  sentiments  of  the  people. 


TREASON    IN    TENNESSEE. 

THE  history  of  Tennessee,  during  the  first  six  months  of 
1861,  forcibly  illustrates  the  spirit  of  secession,  proving  it  to 
be — as  Johnson,  Brownlow,  Holt,  and  others  have  character 
ized  it — the  diabolical  spirit 

The  State,  it  will  be  remembered,  voted  (1861)  for  John  Bell 
and  Edward  Everetf  for  President  and  Yice-President — the 
vote  being  Bell,  69,274;  Breckenridge,  64,709;  Douglas, 
11,350.  Bell  was  the  Union  candidate,  and  was  voted  for  as 
suck  The  Union  sentiment,  however,  gave  a  still  more 
emphatic  expression  in  February  (1861,)  when  the  State  voted 
on  the  question  of  " Convention"  or  "no  Convention," — result 
ing  in  a  majority  against  a  Convention  to  consider  an  Ordi 
nance  of  Secession,  of  over  sixty  thousand.  This,  of  course, 
closed  the  door  against  the  designs  of  the  Confederate  conspi 
rators,  who  only  required  a  Convention  to  throw  the  State  into 
the  Confederacy,  in  spite  of  the  people.  Bu£,  men  bent  upon 
treason  do  not  stand  upon  ceremony.  If  the  people  would  not 
call  a  Convention,  then  other  ways  must  be  divised  to  accom 
plish  the  fell  design.  It  was  not  long  ere  the  instrument  of 
tyranny  was  found.  The  people,  and,  we  may  say,  the  entire 


OF     THE     WAE.  253 

country  not  in  the  confidence  of  Jefferson  Davis,  were  astounded 
to  learn,  on  the  morning  of  May  8th,  that  they  were  transferred 
to  the  keeping  of  a  Confederate  army ;  that  an  Ordinance  of 
Secession  was  adopted,  (to  be  voted  on  by  the  people,  June 
8th,  after  time  enough  had  been  allowed  to  place  Confederate 
troops  in  every  section  to  intimidate,  overawe,  arrest,  and 
"  punish"  Unionists,  as  enemies) ;  that,  the  Legislature  had 
adopted  (to  go  into  immediate  force)  the  Provisional  Constitu 
tion  of  the  Confederate  States ;  thus  consummating,  in  one 
dark  secret  session  (May  6th)  all  that  the  most  ardent  con 
spirator  could  desire.  The  "  League"  entered  into  with  the 
Confederate  authorities,  by  which  Tennessee  was  transferred, 
beyond  the  power  of  redemption,  into  the  keeping  of  Jefferson 
Davis,  was  as  follows  : 

"  CONVENTION  BETWEEN  THE  STATE  OP  TENNESSEE  AND  THE  CONFED 
ERATE  STATES  OP  AMERICA. 

"The  State  of  Tennessee,  looking  to  a  speedy  admission  into  the  Con 
federacy  established  by  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  in  accordance 
with  the  Constitution  for  the  Provisional  Government  of  said  States, 
enters  into  the  following  temporary  Convention,  agreement  and  military 
league  with  the  Confederate  States,  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  pressing 
exigencies  affecting  the  common  rights,  interests  and  safety  of  said 
States  and  said  Confederacy. 

"  First.  Until  the  said  State  shall  become  a  member  of  said  Confede 
racy,  according  to  the  Constitutions  of  both  powers,  the  whole  military 
force  and  military  operations,  offensive  and  defensive,  of  said  State,  in 
the  impending  conflict  with  the  United  States,  shall  be  under  the  chief 
control  and  direction  of  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  upon 
the  same  basis,  principles  and  footing  as  if  said  State  were  now  and 
during  the  interval,  a  member  of  said  Confederacy.  Said  forces,  togeth 
er  with  that  of  the  Confederate  States,  to  be  employed  for  the  common 
defense. 

"  Second.  The  State  of  Tennessee  will,  upon  becoming  a  member  of 
said  Confederacy,  under  the  permanent  Constitution  of  said  Confederate 
States,  if  the  same  shall  occur,  turn  over  to  said  Confederate  States,  all 
the  public  property,  naval  stores  and  munitions  of  war,  of  which  she 
may  then  be  in  possession,  acquired  from  the  United  States,  on  the  same 
terms,  and  in  the  same  manner,  as  the  other  States  of  said  Confederacy 
have  done  in  like  cases. 

"  Third.  Whatever  expenditures  of  money,  if  any,  the  said  State  of 

W 


254  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

Tennessee  shall  make  before  she  becomes  a  member  of  said  Confederacy, 
shall  be  met  and  provided  for  by  the  Confederate  States. 

"  This  Convention  entered  into  and  agreed  on>  in  the  city  of  Nash 
ville,  Tennessee,  on  the  seventh  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1861,  by  Henry  "W. 
Hilliard,  the  duly  authorized  Commissioner,  to  act  in  the  matter  for  the 
Confederate  States,  and  Gustavus  A.  Henry,  Archibald  W.  O.  Totten 
and  Washington  Barrow,  Commissioners  duly  authorized  to  act  in  like 
manner  for  the  State  of  Tennessee.  The  whole  subject  to  the  approval 
and  ratification  of  the  proper  authorities  of  both  Governments,  respect 
ively." 

This  infamous  and  treacherous  sale  of  the  State,  without  the 
knowledge  or  consent  of  the  people,  of  course  sealed  the  fate 
of  that  Commonwealth,  and  thereafter  Tennessee  was  to  live 
in  a  terrorism  bordering  on  barbarism.  The  invasion  of  the 
Huns,  bringing  fire  and  sword  to  civilized  homes,  was  a  coun 
terpart  of  the  invasion  of  Tennessee  by  the  vagabonds  of 
Alabama,  the  cut-throats  of  Mississippi,  and  the  desperadoes 
of  Texas  and  Arkansas. 

Davis  was  given  possession  of  his  property  May  7th,  and 
almost  immediately  his  turbulent  hordes  rushed  in,  to  the 
great  consternation  of  society,  and  more  particularly  to  the 
Unionists,  who,  from  that  moment,  lived  in  a  state  of  appre 
hension  which  soon  drove  them  into  the  ranks  of  secession,  for 
self-protection.  Thousands  upon  thousand  accepted  the  order 
of  things  instated  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  and  when  June 
8th  came,  the  vote  for  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  was  over 
whelming.  A  few  brave  souls  dared  to  stem  the  tide  of 
treason.  One  of  these  was  Parson  Brownlow,  of  Knoxville, 
whose  paper,  the  Whig,  fairly  scintillated  with  its  flashes  of 
scorn  and  indignation  at  the  betrayal  of  the  State  by  the 
Governor  and  the  secretly  manoeuvred  Legislature — a  bod  7 
utterly  without  constitutional  power  to  act  upon  such  matters 
as  it  considered  and  adopted.  He  immediately  sounded  the 
alarum,  among  other  things  saying : 

"  In  June  we  are  called  upon  to  vote  for  or  against  this 
Ordinance  of  Secession,  and  all  its  train  of  evils,  such  as  enor 
mous  taxes,  and  the  raising  of  fifty  thousand  troops  !  Will 
the  people  ratify  it,  or  will  they  reject  it  ?  Let  every  man, 


OF     THE     WAR.  255 

old  and  young,  halt  and  blind,  contrive  to  be  at  the  polls  on 
that  day.  If  we  lose  then,  our  liberties  are  gone,  and  we  are 
swallowed  up  by  a  military  despotism  more  odious  than  any 
now  existing  in  any  monarchy  in  Europe." 

Brownlow,  Maynard,  Etheridge,  Johnson  and  Nelson  imme 
diately  entered  the  field,  hoping  to  arouse  the  people  to  a 
sense  of  the  danger  impending.  Johnson  being  in  "Washing 
ton,  hastened  home  by  way  of  Virginia,  to  enter  upon  the 
crusade  against  secession.  At  numerous  places  in  the  do 
minions  of  Governor  Letcher  he  was  treated  with  great  indig 
nity  by  the  Virginia  chivalry ;  but,  he  forebore  to  resent  the 
injuries  heaped  upon  him  and  his  cause,  not  daring  to  jeopar 
dize  an  arrest.  Arrived  on  Tennessee  soil,  he  at  once  took 
the  stump  against  the  tyranny  inaugurated.  At  Elizabeth- 
town,  May  15th,  an  immense  Union  meeting  was  addressed  by 
Johnson,  T.  A.  E.  Nelson,  and  N.  Gr.  Taylor.  Other  meetings 
rapidly  followed ;  but  the  minions  of  the  Confederacy  were 
after  the  speakers  ;  and,  by  June  1st,  it  became  necessary  for 
the  Union  speakers  to  flee  from  Central  Tennessee.  May  31st, 
the  Louisville  Journal  published  this  item : 

"  We  don't  know  where  Mr.  Etheridge  is  at  this  time,  but,  wherever 
he  n\ay  be,  we  would  warn  him  of  the  danger  of  his  returning  to  Ten 
nessee.  We  could  give  him  facts,  which  would  convince  him  that  he 
can  return  only  at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  life.  Instructions  have  cer 
tainly  been  given  by  General  Pillow  that  he  shall  be  hung,  or  shot,  or 
otherwise  killed  at  the  first  opportunity.  He  has  been  keenly  watched 
for  in  all  direction.  Men  were  hunting  for  him  last  night  in  the  cars, 
at  or  near  the  Tennessee  line." 

In  Eastern  Tennessee  the  loyal  sentiment  was  so  thoroughly 
awakened  that,  when  the  day  came  (June  8th)  for  expressing 
at  the  ballot-box  their  opinions  of  the  Ordinance  and  its  prin 
ciples,  the  vote  was  thirty-two  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
thirty -two — being  a  majority  of  over  eighteen  thousand  for 
the  Union.  It  was  otherwise  in  those  sections  of  the  State 
where  Confederate  troops  were  gathered.  The  vote  was  : 

Separation.         No  Separation. 

Middle  Tennessee,     .     .     .     58,269  8,198 

Western       "  ...     29,127  6,117 


256  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

making  the  aggregate  State  majority  stand  fifty-seven  thou 
sand  six  hundred  and  sixty-seven  for  "  separation." 

So  palpably  constrained  was  this  declared  vote,  that  the 
Unionists  of  East  Tennessee  gathered  in  mass  Convention  at 
Greenville,  June  17th,  (1861,)  to  protest  against  the  tyranny 
inaugurated  over  them.  Every  county  was  fully  represented 
except  Ehea,  as  the  Knoxville  Whig  said,  "  by  delegates  who, 
for  sound  practical  sense,  determination  of  will  and  patriotic 
purpose,  would  have  done  honor  to  any  constituency."  The 
Address  adopted  detailed  the  facts  of  that  election — how  in 
West  and  Middle  Tennessee  the  people  were  overawed,  bul 
lied,  persecuted,  into  an  adoption  of  the  Ordinance — how  the 
Secessionists  had  prepared  for  the  furtherance  of  their  schemes 
even  though  the  State  had  voted  "  No  Separation  "—how  no 
provision  was  made  for  examining  the  returns  otherwise  than 
by  a  disunion  Governor,  whose  hold  on  power  depended  upon 
the  success  of  the  secession  programme — how  "  volunteers"  in 
the  secession  army  were  allowed  to  vote  within  and  without 
the  State  contrary  to  any  law— how  discussion  was  forbidden 
in  those  sections  where  the  secession  vote  was  triumphant, 
while  every  Union  paper  there  was  crushed  out — how  a  mili 
tary  despotism  was  ruling  in  spite  of  the  wishes  and  rights  of 
the  people.  The  Address  then  went  on  to  say : 

"  We  prefer  to  remain  attached  to  the  Government  of  our  fathers. 
The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  has  done  us  no  wrong.  The 
Congress  of  the  United  States  has  passed  no  law  to  oppress  us.  The 
President  of  the  United  States  has  made  no  threat  against  the  law 
abiding  people  of  Tennessee.  Under  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  we  have  enjoyed  as  a  nation  more  of  civil  and  religious  freedom 
than  any  othwr  people  under  the  whole  heaven.  We  believe  there  is  no 
cause  for  rebellion  or  secession  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  Tennessee. 
None  was  assigned  by  the  Legislature  in  their  miscalled  Declaration  of 
Independence.  No  adequate  cause  can  be  assigned.  The  select  com 
mittee  of  that  body  asserted  a  gross  and  inexcusable  falsehood  in  their 
address  to  the  people  of  Tennessee  when  they  declared  that  the  Gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States  has  made  war  upon  them. 

"  The  secession  cause  has  thus  far  been  sustained  by  deception  and 
falsehood :  by  falsehoods  as  to  the  action  of  Congress ;  by  false  dis 
patches  as  to  battles  that  were  never  fought  and  victories  that  wero 


OF    THE    WAK. 


257 


never  wou  ;  by  false  accounts  as  to  the  purposes  of  the  President ;  by 
false  representations  as  to  the  views  of  Union  men,  and  by  false  pre 
tenses  as  to  the  facility  with  which  the  secession  troops  would  take 
possession  of  the  Capital  and  capture  the  highest  officers  of  the  Govern 
ment.  The  cause  of  secession  or  rebellion  has  no  charms  for  us,  and  its 
progress  has  been  marked  by  the  most  alarming  and  dangerous  attacks 
upon  the  public  liberty.  In  other  States,  as  well  as  our  own,  its  whole 
course  threatens  to  annihilate  the  last  vestige  of  freedom.  While  peace 
and  prosperity  have  blessed  us  in  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
the  following  may  be  enumerated  as  some  of  the  fruits  of  secession. 

"  It  was  urged  forward  by  members  of  Congress  who  were  sworn  to 
support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  were  themselves 
supported  by  the  Government;  it  was  effected  without  consultation 
with  all  the  States  interested  in  the  slavery  question,  and  without 
exhausting  peaceable  remedies.  It  has  plunged  the  country  into  civil 
war,  paralyzed  our  commerce,  interfered  with  the  whole  trade  and  busi 
ness  of  our  country,  lessened  the  value  of  our  property,  destroyed  many 
of  the  pursuits  of  life,  and  bids  fair  to  involve  the  whole  nation  in  irre 
trievable  bankruptcy  and  ruin.  It  has  changed  the  entire  relations  of 
States  and  adopted  constitutions  without  submitting  them  to  a  vote  of 
the  people,  and  where  such  a  vote  has  been  authorized,  it  has  been  upon 
the  condition  prescribed  by  Senator  Mason,  of  Virginia,  that  those  who 
voted  the  Union  ticket  '  must  leave  the  State.'  It  has  advocated  a  con 
stitutional  monarchy,  a  king  and  a  dictator,  and  is,  through  the  Eich- 
moncl  press,  at  this  moment  recommending  to  the  Convention  in  Vir 
ginia  a  restriction  of  the  right  of  suffrage,  and  l  in  severing  connection 
with  the  Yankees,  to  abolish  every  vestige  of  resemblance  to  the  insti 
tutions  of  that  detested  race.'  It  has  formed  military  leagues,  passed 
military  bills,  and  opened  the  door  for  oppressive  taxation,  without 
consulting  the  people ;  and  then,  in  mockery  of  a  free  election,  has  re 
quired  them  by  their  votes  to  sanction  its  usurpations,  under  the  penal 
ties  of  moral  proscription  or  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  It  has  offered 
a  premium  for  crime  in  directing  the 'discharge  of  volunteers  from  crim 
inal  prosecutions,  and  in  recommending  the  Judges  not  to  hold  their 
courts.  It  has  stained  our  statute  book  with  the  repudiation  of  North 
ern  debts,  and  has  greatly  violated  the  constitution  by  attempting, 
through  its  unlawful  extension,  to  destroy  the  right  of  suffrage.  It  has 
called  upon  the  people  in  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  may  soon  require 
the  people  of  Tennessee,  to  contribute  all  their  surplus  cotton,  corn, 
wheat,  bacon,  beef,  &c.,  to  the  support  of  pretended  governments  alike 
destitute  of  money  and  credit.  It  has  attempted  to  destroy  the  account 
ability  of  public  servants  to  the  people  by  secret  legislstion,  and  set  the 
obligation  of  an  oath  at  defiance.  It  has  passed  laws  declaring  it  trea- 
33  w2 


258  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

son  to  say  or  do  anything  in  favor  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  pr  against  the  Confederate  States,  and  such  a  law  is  now  before, 
and  we  apprehend  will  soon  be  passed,  by  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee. 
It  has  attempted  to  destroy,  and,  we  fear  soon,  utterly  prostrate  the 
freedom  of  speech  and  of  the  press.  It  has  involved  the  Southern 
States  in  a  war  whose  success  is  hopeless,  and  which  must  ultimately 
lead  to  the  ruin  of  the  people.  Its  bigoted,  overbearing  and  intolerant 
spirit  has  already  subjected  the  people  of  East  Tennessee  to  many  petty 
grievances :  our  people  have  been  insulted ;  our  flags  have  been  fired 
upon  and  torn  down  ;  our  houses  have  been  rudely  entered  ;  our  fami 
lies  subjected  to  insult ;  our  peaceable  meetings  interrupted ;  our  wo 
men  and  children  shot  at  by  a  merciless  soldiery  ;  our  towns  pillaged  ; 
our  citizens  robbed,  and  some  of  them  assassinated  and  murdered.  No 
effort  has  been  spared  to  deter  the  Union  men  of  East  Tennessee  from 
the  expression  of  their  free  thoughts.  The  penalties  of  treason  have 
been  threatened  against  them,  and  murder  and  assassination  have  been 
openly  encouraged  by  leading  secession  journals.  As  secession  has  been 
thus  overbearing  and  intolerant  while  in  the  minority  in  East  Tennes 
see,  nothing  better  can  be  expected  of  the  pretended  majority  than 
wild,  unconstitutional  and  oppressive  legislation ;  an  utter  contempt 
and  disregard  of  law ;  a  determination  to  force  every  Union  man  in  the 
State  to  swear  to  the  support  of  a  constitution  he  abhors  ;  to  yield  his 
money  and  property  to  aid  a  cause  he  detests,  and  to  become  the  ob 
ject  of  scorn  and  derision  as  well  as  the  victim  of  intolerable  and  re 
lentless  oppression.  In  view  of  these  considerations,  and  of  the  fact 
that  the  people  of  East  Tennessee  have  declared  their  fidelity  to  the 
Union  by  a  majority  of  about  twenty  thousand  votes,  therefore,  we  do 
resolve  and  declare  : 

"  RESOLUTIONS. 

"  1.  That  we  do  earnestly  desire  the  restoration  of  peace  to  our  whole  country, 
and  most  especially  that  our  own  section  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  should  not  be 
involved  in  civil  war. 

"  2.  That  the  action  of  our  State  Legislature  in  passing  the  so-called  '  Declara 
tion  of  Independence'  and  in  forming  the  '  Military  League'  with  the  Confederate 
States,  and  in  adopting  other  acts  looking  to  a  separation  of  the  State  of  Tennes- 
Bee  from  the  Governmeot  of  the  United  States,  is  unconstitutional  and  illegal,  and 
therefore  not  binding  upon  us  as  loyal  citizens. 

"3.  That  in  order  to  avert  a  conflict  with  our  brethren  in  other  parts  of  the 
State,  and  desiring  that  all  constitutional  means  shall  be  resorted  to  for  the  preser 
vation  of  peace,  we  do,  therefore,  constitute  and  appoint  0.  P  Temple,  of  Knox ; 
John  Netherland,  of  Hawkins  ;  and  James  P.  McDowell,  of  Greene,  commissioners, 
whose  duty  ft  shall  be  to  prepare  a  memorial  and  cause  the  same  to  be  presented 
to  tke  General  Assembly  of  Tennessee,  now  in  session,  asking  its  consent  that  the 


OF     THE     WAR.  259 

counties  composing  East  Tennessee,  and  such  counties  in  Middle  Tennessee  as  de 
sire  to  co-operate  with  them,  may  form  and  erect  a  separate  State. 

"  4.  Desiring,  in  good  faith,  that  the  General  Assembly  will  grant  this  our  rea 
sonable  request;  and  still  claiming  the  right  to  determine  our  own  destiny,  we  do 
further  resolve  that  an  election  be  held  in  all  the  counties  of  East  Tennessee,  and 
in  such  other  counties  in  Middle  Tennessee  adjacent  thereto  as  may  desire  to  co 
operate  with  us,  for  the  choice  of  delegates  to  represent  them  in  a  General  Con 
vention,  to  be  held  in  the  town  of  Kingston  at  such  time  as  the  President  of  this 
Convention,  or,  in  case  of  his  absence  or  inability,  any  one  of  the  Vice-Presidents, 
or,  in  like  case  with  them,  the  Secretary  of  this  Convention  may  designate  ;  and 
the  officer  so  designating  the  day  for  the  assembling  of  said  Convention  shall  also 
fix  the  time  for  holding  the  election  herein  provided  for,  and  give  reasonable  notice 
thereof. 

"  5.  In  order  to  carry  out  the  foregoing  resolution,  the  sheriffs  of  the  different 
counties  are  hereby  requested  to  open  and  hold  said  election,  or  cause  the  same 
to  be  so  held,  in  the  usual  manner  and  at  the  usual  places  of  voting,  as  prescribed 
by  law ;  and  in  the  event  the  sheriff  of  any  county  should  fail  or  refuse  to  open 
and  hold  said  election,  or  cause  the  same  to  be  done,  the  coroner  of  such  county 
is  requested  to  do  so,  and  should  such  coroner  fail  or  refuse,  then  any  constable 
of  such  county  is  hereby  authorized  to  open  and  hold  said  election,  or  cause  the 
Bame  to  be  done.  And  if  in  any  county  none  of  the  above  named  officers  will  hold 
said  election,  then  any  Justice  of  the  Peace  or  freeholder  in  such  county  is  author 
ized  to  hold  the  same,  or  cause  it  to  be  done.  The  officer  or  other  person  holding 
Baid  election  shall  certify  the  result  to  the  President  of  this  Convention,  or  to  such 
officer  as  may  have  directed  the  same  to  be  holden,  at  as  early  a  day  thereafter  as 
practicable  ;  and  the  officer  to  whom  said  returns  may  be  made,  shall  open  and 
compare  the  polls  and  issue  certificates  to  the  delegates  elected." 

It  was  not  long  before  those  Unionists  and  protestants 
against  wrong  were  flying  for  their  lives,  and  were  hunted 
down  like  wild  beasts.  The  leaders  disappeared  from  obser 
vation,  and  the  people  could  only  acquiesce  in  a  state  of  affairs 
which,  in  the  presence  of  the  armed  minions  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy,  they  were  powerless  to  prevent 


PERSECUTION  OF  UNIONISTS  IN  TENNESSEE.       PARSON 


THE  story  of  suffering  in  Tennessee  forms  one  of  the  most 
painful,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  revolting  features  of  the  rebel 
lion.  "We  can  realizfe  how  men  of  one  section  united  by  no 
ties  of  relationship  nor  of  social  sympathy  should  fall  out,  and 
become  rank  enemies,  but  not  how  the  people  of  a  neighbor 
hood  could  so  far  ignore  old  friendships,  old  associations,  har 
monious  sympathies  on  social  and  moral  questions,  as  to  pro 
ceed  to  bitter  extremities  of  violence  with  their  neighbors  who 
differed  with  them  on  the  question  of  secession.  That  they 
did  resort  to  such  extremities  the  stories  of  hundreds  of  per 
secuted,  exiled  and  ruined  Unionists  testify ;  and  the  fact 
illustrates,  in  a  vivid  light,  the  hateful  nature  of  the  secession 
sentiment. 

We  have  already  devoted  a  chapter  to  the  "  Spirit  of  Vio 
lence"  in  the  Southern  States,  giving  such  instances  of  that 
spirit  as  will  afford  the  reader  much  "  food  for  thought."  But, 
all  therein  stated  is  nothing  as  compared  to  the  sufferings,  the 
wrongs,  the  wretchedness,  inflicted  upon  the  men  and  women 
of  Tennessee.  It  is  a  particularly  unpleasant  task  to  repeat 
the  story  of  these  outrages  because  it  is  so  humiliating  to  our 
boasted  American  civilization  ;  but,  it  should  be  repeated,  over 
and  over  again,  to  teach  American  youths  the  inestimable 
value  of  law  and  order,  and  the  repulsive  nature  of  all  revo 
lutionary  assaults  upon  the  constituted  authority.  There  is, 
too,  a  propriety  in  the  recollection  of  those  sufferings  for  opin- 


OF     THE     WAR.  261 

ion's  sake,  because  they  illustrate  that  trait  of  a  truly  noble 
human  nature — power  to  resist  wrong  even  unto  death.  The 
devotion  of  the  few  brave  men  who  courted  dungeons,  confis 
cation  of  property,  the  lash  and  the  gallows  for  their  faith  in 
the  Union,  ever  will  stand  as  examples  worthy  of  the  emula 
tion  and  admiration  of  every  lover  of  their  country. 

Parson  Brownlow,  after  the  election,  (June  8th,  1861,)  be 
came  the  recipient  of  indignities  from  the  Secessionists.  His 
house,  up  to  midsummer  of  that  year,  floated  the  American 
flag,  though  many  an  attempt  was  made  to  drag  it  down. 
Early  in  June  a  Louisiana  regiment,  en  route  for  Virginia,  tar 
ried  at  Knoxville,  awaiting  transportation  over  the  railway, 
then  crowded  beyond  its  capacity.  Of  this  and  other  regi 
ments  which  laid  over  at  the  same  place,  the  Parson  said : 
"  During  May  and  June  a  stream  of  whisky-drinking,  seces 
sion  fire,  hot  as  hell,  commenced  to  pour  through  Knoxville, 
in  the  direction  of  Manassas.  These  mean  scoundrels  visited 
the  houses  of  Union  men,  shouted  at  them,  groaned  and  hiss 
ed.  My  humble  dwelling  had  the  honor  to  be  thus  greeted 
oftener  than  any  other  five  houses  in  Knoxville.  The  South 
ern  papers  said  they  were  the  flower  of  their  youth.  I  said 
to  my  wife,  if  this  is  the  flower,  God  save  us  from  the  rabble." 

Upon  one  of  these  occasions  nine  members  of  the  Louisiana 
regiment  determined  to  see  the  flag  humbled.  Two  men  were 
chosen  as  a  committee  to  proceed  to  the  Parson's  house  to 
order  the  Union  ensign  down.  Mrs.  More  (the  Parson's  daugh 
ter)  answered  the  summons.  In  answer  to  her  inquiry  as  to 
what  was  their  errand,  one  said,  rudely : 

"  We  have  come  to  take  down  that  d — d  rag  you  flaunt 
from  your  roof— the  Stripes  and  Stars." 

Mrs.  More  stepped  back  a  pace  or  two  within  the  door, 
drew  a  revolver  from  her  dress  pocket,  and  leveling  it, 
answered  : 

"  Come  on,  sirs,  and  take  it  down  !" 

The  chivalrous  Confederates  were  startled. 

"  Yes,  come  on  !"  she  said,  as  she  advanced  toward  them. 

They  cleared  the  piazza,  and  stood  at  bay  on  the  walk 


262  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

"  We'll  go  and  get  more  men,  and  then  d — d  if  it  don't 
come  down !" 

"  Yes,  go  and  get  more  men — you  are  not  men  I"  said  the 
heroic  woman,  contemptuously,  as  the  two  backed  from  the 
place  and  disappeared. 

Speaking  of  those  days  in  June  and  July,  the  Parson  said  :. 

"  Then  it  was  that,  wanting  in  transportation,  wanting  in  rolling 
stock,  wanting  in  locomotives,  they  had  to  lie  over  by  regiments  in  our 
town,  and  then  they  commenced  to  ride  Union  men  upon  rails.  I  have 
^een  that  done  in  the  streets,  and  have  seen  them  break  into  the  stores 
and  empty  their  contents  ;  and  coming  before  my  own  house  with  ropes 
in  their  hands,  they  would  groan  out,  '  Let  us  give  old  Brownlow  a 

turn,  the  d d  old  scoundrel ;  come  out,  and  we  will  hang  you  to 

the  first  limb.'  These  threats  toward  me  were  repeated  every  day  and 
every  week,  until  finally  they  crushed  my  paper,  destroyed  my  office, 
appropriated  the  building  to  a  smith's  shop  to  repair  the  locks  and  bar 
rels  of  old  muskets  that  Floyd  had  stolen  from  the  Federal  Government. 
They  finally  enacted  a  law  in  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  authorizing 
an  armed  force  to  take  all 'the  arms,  pistols,  guns,  dirks,  swords  and 
everything  of  the  sort  from  all  the  Union  men,  and  they  paid  a  visit  to 
every  Union  house  in  the  State.  They  visited  mine  three  times  in  suc 
cession,  upon  that  business,  and  they  got  there  a  couple  of  guns  and 
one  pistol.  Being  an  editor  and  preacher,  I  was  not  largely  supplied. 
I  had,  however,  a  small  supply  concealed  under  my  clothes !  Finally, 
after  depriving  us  of  all  our  arms  throughout  the  State,  and  after  taking 
all  the  fine  horses  of  the  Union  men  everywhere,  without  fee  or  reward, 
for  cavalry  horses,  and  seizing  upon  the  fat  hogs,  corn,  fodder,  and 
sheep,  going  into  houses  and  pulling  the  beds  off  the  bedsteads  in  day 
time,  seizing  upon  all  the  blankets  they  could  find  for  the  army  ;  after 
breaking  open  chests,  bureaus,  drawers,  and  everything  of  that  sort — in 
which  they  were  countenanced  and  tolerated  by  the  authorities,  civil 
and  military — our  people  rose  up  in  rebellion,  unarmed  as  they  were, 
and  by  accident." 

After  that  uprising,  which  did '  not  occur  until  November 
3d — when  the  Unionists  secretly  burned  the  bridges  of  the 
railways  leading  from  the  South  and  from  Virginia  into  East 
ern  Tennessee — the  Unionists  were  not  suffered  to  escape  with 
"  civil  indignities ;"  but  were  seized,  shot,  imprisoned,  hung 
by  scores  ;  were  driven  to  the  mountains  where  they  suffered 
from  all  the  rigors  of  the  winter ;  were  rendered  exiles  and 


OF     THE     WAR.  263 

hunted  men,  whom  to  shoot  was  a  duty.  Of  that  period  of 
suffering  the  Parson  chiefly  spoke  in  his  various  addresses  to 
the  people  of  the  North.  His  story  seemed  incredible — it  was 
so  horrible  in  some  of  its  details ;  yet,  its  authenticity  none 
dared  dispute.  Persons,  names,  dates,  places,  circumstances, 
all  were  given,  that  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  might  remain. 
We  shall  reproduce  so  much  of  his  narrative  as  will  serve  to 
give  the  reader  a  correct  apprehension  of  the  State  of  affairs 
in  Tennessee  during  the  fall  and  winter  of  1861-62  : 

THE  SOUTH  GUILTY  OF  THE  WAR 

"  The  demagogues,"  he  said,  "  and  the  leaders  of  the  South, 
are  to  blame  for  having  brought  about  this  state  of  things,  ?nd 
not  the  people  of  the  North.  We  have  intended  down  South, 
for  thirty  years,  to  break  up  this  Government  It  has  been 
our  settled  purpose  and  our  sole  aim  down  South  to  destroy 
the  Union  and  break  up  the  Grovernment.  We  have  had  the 
Presidency  in  the  South  twice  to  your  once,  and  five  of  our 
men  were  re-elected  to  the  Presidency,  filling  a  period  of  forty 
years.  In  addition  to  that,  we  had  divers  men  elected  for  one 
term,  and  no  man  at  the  North  ever  was  permitted  to  serve  any 
but  the  one  term  ;  and,  in  addition  to  having  elected  our  men 
twice  to  your  once,  and  occupied  the  chair  twice  as  long  as 
you  ever  did,  we  seized  upon  and  appropriated  two  or  three 
miscreants  from  the  North  that  we  elected  to  the  Presidency, 
and  ploughed  with  them  as  our  heifers.  We  asked  of  you, 
and  obtained  at  your  hands,  a  Fugitive  Slave  law.  You  voted 
for  and  helped  us  to  enact  and  to  establish  it.  We  asked  of 
you  and  obtained  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  line, 
which  never  ought  to  have  been  repealed.  I  fought  it  to  the 
bitter  end,  and  denounced  it  and  all  concerned  in  repealing  it, 
and  I  repeat  it  here  again  to-night  We  asked  and  obtained 
the  admission  of  Texas  into  the  Union,  that  we  might  have 
slave  territory  enough  to  form  some  four  or  five  more  great 
States,  and  you  granted  it  You  have  granted  us  from  first 
to  last  all  we  have  asked,  all  we  have  desired ;  and  hence  I 


264  INCIDENTS     AND     ANEC'DOTES 

repeat,  that  tliis  thing  of  secession,  this  wicked  attempt  to  dis 
solve  the  Union,  has  been  brought  about  without  the  shadow 
of  a  cause.  It  is  the  work  of  the  worst  men  that  ever  God  per 
mitted  to  live  on  the  face  of  this  earth.  It  is  the  work  of  a 
set  of  men  down  South  who,  in  winding  up  this  revolution,  if 
our  Administration  and  Government  shall  fail  to  hang  them 
as  high  as  Hainan — hang  every  one  of  them — we  will  make 
an  utter  failure." 

IN     PRISON. 

After  detailing  his  course  through  the  summer,  and  relating 
the  incidents  of  the  burning  of  bridges  in  November,  he  told 
of  his  seizure  upon  suspicion  of  having  been  instrumental  in 
the  incendiarism,  saying : 

"  They  wanted  a  pretext  to  seize  me  ;  and  upon  the  6th  day 
of  December  they  marched  me  off  to  jail — a  miserable,  un 
comfortable,  damp,  desperate  jail — where  I  found,  when  ush 
ered  into  it,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  Union  men.  There 
was  not,  in  the  whole  jail,  a  chair,  bench,  stool  or  table,  or  any 
piece  of  furniture,  except  a  dirty  old  wooden  bucket  and  a 
pair  of  tin  dippers  to  drink  with.  I  found  some  of  the  first 
and  best  men  of  the  whole  country  there.  I  knew  them  all, 
and  they  knew  me,  as  I  had  been  among  them  for  thirty  years. 
They  rallied  round  me,  some  smiling  and  glad  to  see  me,  as  I 
could  give  them  the  news  that  had  been  kept  from  them. 
Others  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  were  utterly  speechless,  and, 
with  bitter,  burning  tears  running  down  their  cheeks,  they  said 
that  they  never  thought  that  they  would  come  to  that  at  last,, 
looking  through  the  bars  of  a  grate.  Speaking  first  to  one 
and  then  to  another,  I  bade  them  be  of  good  cheer  and  take 
courage.  Addressing  them,  I  said,  (  Is  it  for  stealing  you  are 
here  ?  No.  Is  it  for  counterfeiting  ?  No.  Is  it  for  man 
slaughter  ?  No.  You  are  here,  boys,  because  you  adhere  to 
the  flag  and  the  Constitution  of  our  country.  I  am  here  with ' 
you  for  no  other  offense  but  that ;  and,  as  God  is  my  judge, 
boys,  I  look  upon  this  6th  day  of  December  as  the  proudest 


OF     THE     WAR.  265 

day  of  my  life.  And  here  I  intend  to  stay  until  I  die  of  old 
age  or  until  they  hang  ma  I  will  never  renounce  my 
principles.' " 

THE    HANGMEN    AT    WORK. 

He  was  soon  made  to  realize  that  death,  as  well  as  imprison 
ment,  was  the  Unionist's  lot  He  said:  "In  the  jail-yard, 
which  was  in  full  view  from  our  window,  we  almost  daily 
beheli  a  tragedy.  There  would  drive  up  a  horse  and  cart, 
with  an  ugly,  rough,  flat-topped  coffin  upon  it,  surrounded  by 
fifteen  to  forty  men,  who,  with  bristling  bayonets,  as  a  guard, 
would  march  in  through  the  gate  into  the  jail-yard,  with 
steady,  military  tread.  We  trembled  in  our  boots,  for  they 
never  notified  us  who  was  to  be  hanged.  They  came  some 
times  with  two  coffins,  one  on  each  cart,  and  they  took  two 
men  at  a  time  and  marched  them  out.  A  poor  old  man  of 
sixty-five  and  his  son  of  twenty -five,  were  marched  out  at  one 
time  and  hanged  on  the  same  gallows.  They  made  that  poor 
old  man,  who  was  a  Methodist  class-leader,  sit  by  and  see  his 
son  hang  until  he  was  dead,  and  then  they  called  him  a  d — d 
Lincolnite  Union  shrieker,  and  said,  *  Come  on,  it  is  your  turn 
next.'  He  sunk,  but  they  propped  him  up  and  led  him  to  the 
halter,  and  swung  both  off  on  the  same  gallows.  They  came, 
after  that,  for  another  man,  arid  took  J.  C.  Haum  out  of  jail — 
a  young  man  of  fine  sense,  good  address,  and  of  excellent 
character — a  tall  spare-made  man,  leaving  a  wife  at  home  with 
four  or  five  helpless  children.  They  were  kind  enough  to 
notify  him  an  hour  before  the  hanging  that  he  was  to  hang. 
Haum  at  once  made  an  application  for  a  Methodist  preacher, 
a  Union  man,  to  come  and  pray  for  him.  They  denied  him 
the  privilege  ;  but,  they  had  near  the  gallows  an  unprincipled 
drunken  chaplain  of  their  own  army,  who  got  up  aud  under 
took  to  apologize  for  Haum.  He  said :  '  This  poor,  unfortunate 
man,  who  is  about  to  pay  the  debt  of  nature,  regrets  the  course 
he  took  ;  he  said  he  was  misled  by  the  Union  paper.'  Haum 
rose  up,  and  with  a  clear,  stentorian  voice,  said:  'Fellow- 
x  34 


266  INCIDENTS     AND   ANECDOTES 

citizens :  there  is  not  a  word  of  truth  in  that  statement.  I 
have  authorized  nobody  to  make  such  a  statement.  What  I 
have  said  and  done,  I  have  done  and  said  with  my  eyes  open ; 
and,  if  it  were  to  be  done  over,  I  would  do  it  again.  I  am 
ready  to  hang,  and  you  can  execute  your  purpose.'  He  died 
like  a  man  ;  he  died  like  a  Union  man  ;  like  an  East  Tennes- 
sean  ought  to  die  !  As  God  is  my  judge,"  added  the  Parson, 
solemnly  and  earnestly,  "  I  would  sooner  be  Baum  in  the 
grave  to-day,  than  any  one  of  the  scoundrels  engaged  in  his 
murder." 


THE    TWO    LOYAL    CLEKGYMEN. 

The  case  of  two  venerable  Baptist  Clergj^men,  Mr.  Pope  and 
Mr.  Gate,  was  a  painfnl  one,  from  their  age  and  circumstances 
— both  of  which  should  have  shielded  them  from  the  barbarous 
treatment  they  received.  Brownlow,  referring  to  this  case, 
said:  "Mr.  Gate  was  very  low  indeed,  prostrated  from  the 
fever,  and  unable  to  eat  the  miserable  food  sent  there  by  the 
corrupt  jailor  and  deputy  marshal — a  man  whom  I  had  de 
nounced  in  my  paper  as  guilty  of  forgery  time  and  time  again 
— a  suitable  representative  of  the  thieves  and  scoundrels  that 
head  this  rebellion  in  the  South.  The  only  favor  extended  to 
me  was  to  allow  my  family  to  send  me  three  meals  a  day  by 
my  son,  who  brought  the  provisions  in  a  basket.  I  requested 
my  wife  to  send  also  enough  for  the  two  old  clergymen.  One 
of  them  was  put  in  jail  for  offering  prayers  for  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  other  was  confined  for  throwing 
up  his  hat  and  cheering  the  Stars  and  Stripes  as  they  passed 
his  house,  borne  by  a  company  of  Union  volunteers.  When 
the  basket  of  provisions  came  in  in  the  morning,  they  ex 
amined  it  at  the  door,  would  look  between  the  pie  and  the 
bread  to  see  if  any  billet  or  paper  was  concealed  there,  com 
municating  treason  from  any  outside  Unionist  to  the  £  old 
scoundrel'  they  had  in  jail ;  and  when  the  basket  went  out 
again,  the  same  ceremony  was  repeated,  to  discover  whether  I 
had  slipped  any  paper  in,  in  any  way." 


OF     THE     WAR.  267 

A    HARROWING    INCIDENT. 

"The  old  man,  Gate,"  said  Brownlow,  "had  three  sons  in 
that  jail.  One  of  them,  James  Madison  Gate,  a  most  exem 
plary  and  worthy  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  was  there  for 
having  committed  no  other  crime  than  that  of  refusing  to 
volunteer.  He  lay  stretched  at  length  upon  the  floor,  with 
one  thickness  of  a  piece  of  carpet  under  him,  and  an  old  over 
coat  doubled  up  for  a  pillow,  in  the  agonies  of  death.  His 
wife  came  to  visit  him,  bringing  her  youngest  child,  which 
was  but  a  babe.  They  were  refused  admittance.  I  put  my 
head  out  of  the  jail  window,  and  entreated  them,  for  God's 
sake,  to  let  the  poor  woman  come  in,  as  her  husband  was 
dying.  The  jailer  at  last  consented  that  she  might  see  him  for 
the  limited  time  of  fifteen  minutes.  As  she  came  in,  and 
looked  upon  her  husband's  wan  and  emaciated  face,  and  saw 
how  rapidly  he  was  sinking,  she  gave  evident  signs  of  faint 
ing,  and  would  have  fallen  to  the  floor  with  the  babe  in  her 
arms,  had  I  not  rushed  up  to  her  and  seized  the  babe.  Then 
she  sunk  down  upon  the  breast  of  her  dying  husband,  unable 
to  speak.  I  sat  by  and  held  the  babe  until  the  fifteen  minutes 
had  expired,  when  the  officer  came  in,  and,  in  an  insulting  and 
peremptory  manner,  notified  her  that  the  interview  was  to 
close.  I  hope  I  may  never  see  such  a  scene  again  ;  and  yet, 
such  cases  were  common  all  over  East  Tennessee" 


A    CASE    OF    CLEMENCY. 

Among  others  condemned  to  death  by  the  drumhead  court- 
martial  which  disposed  of  the  Union  prisoners,  was  that  of  a 
man  named  Hessing  Self,  who  was  informed  of  his  fate  a  few 
hours  before  the  time  fixed  for  his  execution.  Brownlow  thus 
related  the  incidents  which  followed  :  "  His  daughter,  who  had 
come  down  to  administer  to  his  comfort  and  consolation — a 
most  estimable  girl,  about  twenty-one  years  of  age — Elizabeth 
Self,  a  tall,  spare-made  girl,  modest,  handsomely  attired, 
begged  leave  to  enter  the  jail  to  see  her  father.  They  permit- 


268  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

ted  her,  contrary  to  their  usual  custom  and  savage  barbarity, 
to  go  in.  They  had  him  in  a  small  iron  cage,  a  terrible  affair ; 
they  opened  a  little  door,  and  the  jailor  admitted  her.  A 
parcel  of  us  went  to  witness  the  scene.  As  she  entered  the 
cage  where  her  father  was,  she  clasped  him  around  the  neck, 
and  he  embraced  her  also,  throwing  his  arms  across  her 
shoulders.  They  sobbed  and  cried  ;  shed  their  tears  and  made 
their  moans.  I  stood  by,  and  I  never  beheld  such  a  sight,  and 
I  hope  I  may  never  see  the  like  again.  "When  they  had 
parted,  wringing  each  other  by  the  hand,  as  she  came  out  of 
the  cage,  stammering  and  trying  to  utter  something  intelli 
gible,  she  lisped  my  name.  She  knew  my  face,  and  I  could 
understand  as  much  as  that  she  desired  me  to  write  a  dispatch 
to  Jefferson  Davis,  and  sign  her  name,  begging  him  to  pardon 
her  father.  I  worded  it  about  thus : 

"  '  HON.  JEFFERSON  DAVIS — My  father,  Hessing  Self,  is 
sentenced  to  be  hanged  at  four  o'clock  to-day.  I  am  living  at 
home,  and  my  mother  is  dead.  My  father  is  my  earthly  all ; 
upon  him  my  hopes  are  centered ;  and,  friend,  I  pray  you  to 
pardon  him.  Kespectfully,  '  ELIZABETH  SELF.' 

"  Jefferson,  Davis,  who  had  a  better  heart  than  the  rest  of 
his  coadjutors,  immediately  responded  by  commuting  his  sen 
tence  to  imprisonment" 

SICKNESS,  AND    SUFFERING. 

Many  other  incidents  were  mentioned  of  that  Life  in  Prison, 
which  all  served  to  prove  the  malignant  and  thoroughly  heart 
less  character  of  the  Confederate  authorities.  Of  the  winter, 
as  it  passed  to  the  living  inmates,  he  said  :  "  They  tightened 
up  on  those  of  us  who  held  out.  Many  of  our  company  be 
came  sick.  We  had  to  lie  upon  that  miserable,  cold,  naked 
floor,  with  not  room  enough  for  us  all  to  lie  down  at  the  same 
time — and  you  may  think  what  it  must  have  been  in  December 
and  January — il  spelling"  each  other,  one  lying  down  awhile 
on  the  floor  and  then  another  taking  his  place  so  made  warm. 
That  was  the  way  we  managed,  until  many  became  sick  unto 


OF     THE     WAR.  .  269 

deatk  A  number  of  the  prisoners  died  of  pneumonia  and 
typhoid  fever,  and  other  diseases  contracted  by  exposure 
there." 


A    MOST    REVOLTING    AFFAIR. 

A  large  jail  in  Greenfield — the  place  where  Andrew  Johnson 
resided — was,  also,  filled  with  Unionists,  who  were  treated 
with  even  greater  atrocity  than  those  in  the  Knoxville  prison. 
Brownlow  mentioned  the  case  of  two  men,  named  Fry  and 
Nashy.  Fry  had  a  wife  and  six  children.  "  A  fellow  from 
Union"  the  Parson  stated,  " named  Leadbeater,  the  bloodiest 
and  the  most  ultra  man,  the  vilest  wretch,  the  most  unmiti 
gated  scoundrel  that  ever  made  a  track  in  East  Tennessee — 
Colonel  Daniel  Leadbeater,  late  of  the  United  States  Army, 
but  now  an  officer  in  the  Secession  Army — took  these  two 
men,  tied  them  with  his  own  hands  upon  one  limb,  immedi 
ately  over  the  railroad  track  in  the  town  of  Greenville  and 
ordered  them  to  hang  four  days  and  nights,  and  also  ordered 
all  the  engineers  and  conductors  to  go  by  that  spot  slowly,  in 
order  to  give  passengers  an  opportunity  to  kick  the  rigid  bodies 
and  strike  them  with  switches.  And  they  did  it !  I  pledge 
you  my  honor  that,  -from  the  front  platforms  they  made  a  busi 
ness  of  kicking  the  dead  bodies  as  they  passed  by  •  and  the  women 
(I  will  not  say  the  ladies,  for  down  South  we  make  a  distinc 
tion  between  ladies  and  women) — the  women,  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  men  in  high  position,  waved  their  white  handker 
chiefs  in  triumph,  through  the  windows  of  the  car,  at  the  sight 
of  the  two  dead  bodies  hanging  there !" 

A  statement  of  this  character  will  excite,  in  the  reader's 
mind,  feelings  of  disgust  and  horror.  No  wonder  every 
escaped  Unionist  had  but  one  wish  in  his  heart — to  wreak  a 
bloody  revenge  on  those  merciless  miscreants,  who  seemed  to 
have  taken  to  torture  by  instinct  Men  who  are  familiar  with, 
and  practice  torture  upon,  slaves,  only  have  to  change  the 
objects  of  their  malice,  to  become  persecutors  of  their  own 
fellow-citizens.  Strange  that  the  Parson  saw  and  experienced 


270  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

those  simple  results  of  a  Slave  education,  and  jet  failed  to 
ascribe  the  true  cause  to  the  unheard-of  atrocity  meted  out  to 
the  Unionists ! 


BAKBARITIES    GENERALLY    PRACTICED. 

"  Seven  miles  out  of  Knoxville,"  said  Brownlow,  "  they 
caught  up  Union  men,  tied  them  upon  logs,  upon  blocks  six 
or  ten  inches  from  the  ground,  put  men  upon  their  breasts, 
tying  their  hands  and  feet  under  the  log,  stripped  their  backs 
entirely,  bare,  and  then,  with  switches,  cut  their  backs  literally 
to  pieces,  the  blood  running  down  at  every  stroke.  They  came 
into  court  when  it  was  in  session,  and  when  the  case  was 
stated,  the  judge  replied :  '  These  are  revolutionary  times,  and 
there  is  no  remedy  for  anything  of  the  kind'  He  added, 
further  : 

"  This  is  the  spirit  of  secession  all  over  the  South ;  it  is  the 
spirit  which  actuates  the  instruments  of  the  Confederacy  every 
where.  It  is  the  spirit  of  murder — the  very  spirit  of  hell 
itself.  Can  you,"  he  cried  in  an  impassioned  voice — "  can  you, 
any  of  you,  excuse  or  apologize  for  such  demons  ?  Oh,  look 
upon  the  picture  before  you  !  Hanging  is  even  now  going  on 
all  over  East  Tennessee.  They  shoot  tham  down  in  the  fields, 
in  the  streets,  arresting  hundreds,  and  shooting  fifty  or  sixty 
in  one  instance,  after  they  had  surrendered  and  were  under 
arrest  They  marched  between  three  and  four  hundred 
through  the  streets,  some  of  them  barefooted,  and  their  feet 
bleeding,  taking  them  to  the  depot  and  shipping  them  to  At 
lanta,  Georgia,  to  work  upon  their  fortifications.  These  men, 
denied  water,  would  lift  out  of  the  mud-puddles  in  the  street 
with  their  hands,  after  a  rain,  what  they  could  to  quench  their 
thirst  They  whip  them,  and,  as  strange  as  it  may  seem  to 
you,  in  the  counties  of  Campbell  and  Anderson  they  actually 
lacerate  ivith  switches  the  bodies  of  females,  wives  and  daughters 
of  Union  men — clever,  respectable  women.  They  show  no  quar 
ter  to  male  or  female  ;  they  rob  their  houses,  and  they  throw 
them  into  prison.  Our  jails  are  fall ;  we  have  complained 


OF     THE     WAR.  271 

and  thought  hard  that  our  Government  has  not  come  to  our 
relief,  for  a  more  loyal,  a  more  devoted  people  to  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  never  lived  than  the  Union  people  of  Tennessee. 
With  tears  in  their  eyes  they  begged  me,  upon  leaving  East 
Tennessee,  to  see  the  President,  to  see  the  army  officers,  to 
have  relief  sent  immediately  to  them,  and  bring  them  out 
of  jail." 

After  presenting  this  picture  of  wretchedness  and  wo,  no 
wonder  the  speaker  exclaimed  : 

"  In  God's  name  I  call  upon  President  Lincoln,  and  upon  his  Cabinet 
and  army  officers,  to  say  how  long  they  will  suffer  a  loyal  people,  true 
to  the  Union  and  to  the  Government  of  their  fathers,  to  suffer  in  this 
way  !  The  Union  men  of  East  Tennessee  are  largely  in  the  majority — 
say  three  to  one — but  they  have  no  arms ;  they  are  in  the  jails  of  the 
country  ;  they  are  working  on  rebel  fortifications  like  slaves  under  the 
lash,  and  no  Federal  force  has  ever  yet  been  marched  into  that  oppress 
ed  and  down-trodden  country.  Let  the  Government,  if  it  has  any  re 
gard  for  obligations,  redeem  that  country  at  once,  and  liberate  these 
people,  no  matter  at  what  cost  of  blood  or  treasure." 

DEBASED  CHARACTER  OF  SOUTHERN  MINISTERS. 

Brownlow  delivered  in  New  York  (May  19th)  an  address 
on  the  irreligious  character  of  the  rebellion.  He  then  made 
public  facts  and  incidents  which  proved  how  thoroughly  the 
ministry  of  the  South  was  demoralized  by  the  spirit  of  seces 
sion.  Some  of  his  statements  we  may  repeat 

Rev.  Dr.  Martin,  a  New  School  Presbyterian  minister  of 
Knoxville,  was  educated  and  graduated  at  the  Union  Theo 
logical  Seminary  of  New  York  city.  How  he  was  abased  by 
acquiescence  in  the  revolution,  the  Parson  stated  : 

"  Mr.  Maynard,  our  representative  in  Congress,  is  an  elder 
in  the  New  School  Presbyterian  Church,  a  scholar,  and  a  gen 
tleman.  He  had  no  sooner  left  in  disguise  to  make  his  way 
through  to  take  his  seat  in  Congress,  than  the  Rev.  Joseph  F. 
Martin  made  a  set  speech,  going  through  the  formalities  of 
taking  a  text — preached  an  outrageous  sermon,  and  prayed 
an  outrageous  prayer,  *  that  his  wicked  and  unhallowed  tracks 
might  never  again  be  seen  or  known  in  Knoxville.'  The 


272  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

The  mortified  wife  of  Mr.  Maynard,  (who  is  from  the  neigh 
borhood  of  New  York  city,)  who  is  a  lady,  and  so  regarded, 
in  every  sense  of  the  word,  an  intelligent,  charitable,  Christian 
lady,  shedding  tears  on  that  occasion,  rose  up,  left  the  house 
and  journeyed  home  ;  and,  although  she  was  driven  out  but  a 
few  weeks  ago,  with  my  wife  and  children,  she  had,  to  her 
honor  and  credit,  never  disgraced  her  name  by  visiting  his  vile 
sanctuary  any  more.  Feeling  that  he  had,  behaved  in  a  con 
temptible  manner,  he  made  her  a  visit  and  apologized,  saying, 
1 1  didn't  want  to  do  it,  but  my  elders  made  me  do  it,  and  I 
had  to  do  it,  or  lose  my  salary  and  my  place.'  What  do  you 
think  of  a  '  laborer  in  the  vineyard'  like  that  ?" 

Of  the  pastor  of  another  Knoxville  church,  he  related : 
"  The  pastor  of  the  Old  School  Church,  in  Knoxville,  a  man 
of  education  and  fair  talent,  and  until  secession  broke  out,  I 
thought  him  a  gentleman  and  a  Christian,  A  short  time  be 
fore  I  left,  he  had  a  special  occasion  to  preach  upon  the  sub 
ject  of  secession,  and  attracted  a  large  crowd.  He  made  the 
bold  and  open  declaration  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  Southerner, 
born  on  Southern  soil.  He  did  it  in  good  faith  ;  he  did  it  in 
sincerity,  however,  not  in  truth.  He  said,  '  Jesus  Christ  was 
a  Southerner,  born  on  Southern  soil,  and  so  were  his  disciples 
and  apostles,  all  except  Judas,  and  he  was  a  Northern  man.' 
Holding  up  a  Bible,  he  said — I  presume  he  was  sober,  but  I 
would  not  guarantee  it — '  I  would  sooner,  my  brethren,  an 
nounce  to  you  a  text  for  discussion  from  the  pulpit  out  of  a 
Bible  or  a  Testament  that  I  knew  nad  been  printed  in  hell, 
than  out  of  a  Bible  or  a  Testament  that  was  printed  North  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line.'  That  was  a  part  of  his  Gospel  ser 
mon  on  the  Lord's  day." 

The  Methodist  ministry  (Brownlow  belonged  to  that  pei> 
suasion)  he  characterized  thus  : 

"  The  Methodist  preachers  in  the  South  were  entitled  to  more  con 
sideration,  for  there  was  more  unanimity  among  them.  They  were 
nearly  all,  without  any  exception,  rascals." 

He  thus  specified  one  case  :  "  Fountain  B.  Fitch  was  an  old 
presiding  elder  of  the  Conference,  a  man  who  had  been  in 


OF     THE     WAK.  278 

% 

every  General  Conference  for  thirty  years.  He  went  to  Eu 
rope  with  Bishop  Soule,  and  had  one  or  two  sons  in  the  rebel 
army.  He  was  a  chaplain  of  a  Nashville  regiment,  and  made 
it  a  practice  to  get  drunk,  carrying  a  bottle  with  him  ;  he 
drank  to  excess  and  swore  profanely,  but  preached  every  Sun 
day  faithfully  to  the  soldiers.  In  his  discourses  he  told  them 
that  the  cause  in  which  they  were  engaged — and  I  only  give 
him  as  a  specimen  of  all  denominations — fighting  for  the  inde 
pendence  of  the  South,  fighting  to  keep  back  the  abolition 
hordes  of  the  North,  and  to  repulse  the  hordes  of  Lincoln,  was 
so  good  and  so  holy  a  cause,  that  if  they  died  in  this  cause 
they  would  be  saved  in  heaven,  even  without  grace." 

But  there  was  one  loyal  man  "  of  the  cloth" — that  of  the 
Episcopal  minister  in  Knoxville,  whose  case  the  Parson  thus 
referred  to : 

"  Kev.  Thomas  W.  Hugh  was  a  slaveholder,  and  a  man  of  property. 
His  Bishop,  some  months  ago,  furnished  him  with  a  new  prayer,  which 
did  not  require  him  to  pray  for  the  President  of  the  United  States,  but 
substituted  Jefferson  Davis  and  the  Confederate  Government.  Mr. 
Hugh,  promptly  but  frankly,  and  like  a  man,  said  :  1 1  cannot  abandon 
my  Prayer-Book  and  regular  form.  I  do  not  believe  in  the  Confed 
eracy  ;  I  do  not  believe  in  Jefferson  Davis.'  They  turned  him  out  and 
procured  another  pliant  tool  and  cat's-paw,  who  was  willing  to  pray  for 
anybody  for  his  victuals,  his  wine,  and  his  parsonage." 

GENERAL    ZOLLICOFFER. 

For  Zollicoffer,  Brownlow  entertained  a  sincere  respect. 
Both  were  Whigs — had  campaigned  it  politically  together  and 
were,  personally,  friends.  The  rebel  General  did  not  forget 
old  relation  in  his  new  ones — which  latter  we  have  good  rea 
son  to  suspect  were  alike  painful  and  distasteful  to  him, 
Brownlow  said  : 

"  After  my  types  and  printing-press  had  been  destroyed, 
and  my  office  turned  into  a  blacksmith-shop,  to  repair  and  put 
percussion  locks  on  the  old  muskets  Floyd  stole,  word  was 
given  to  General  Zollicoffer  that  a  regiment  of  Texans,  who 
were  encamped  a  few  miles  out  of  town,  had  fixed  up  their 
36 


274  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

0 

plans  to  pull  Brownlow's  house  down  that  night.  Zollicoffer 
immediately  gave  an  order  that  no  soldier  should  leave  camp 
that  night,  and  sent  a  company  of  soldiers  to  guard  my  house, 
giving  the  ladies  information  of  his  intention.  This  was 
heralded  all  through  the  Southern  Confederacy  as  a  piece  of 
unheard-of  clemency.  But  I  think  he  did  nothing  more  than 
his  duty.  And  now  that  Zollicoffer  is  dead,  I  must  do  him  the 
credit  to  say  that  I  knew  him  for  more  than  twenty-five 
years  ;  that  I  have  battled  with  him  ;  that  he  was  an  honest 
man,  who  never  wronged  another  out  of  a  cent ;  that  he 
never  told  a  lie ;  that  he  was  in  all  respects  an  honorable 
man,  and  as  brave  a  soldier  as  ever  died  in  battle,  and  that 
the  only  mean  thing  he  ever  did,  was  fighting  for  the  South 
ern  Confederacy." 

Zollicoffer  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Wild  Cat,  Kentucky, 
October  21st,  by  Colonel  Fry.  His  death  was  sincerely  regret 
ted  by  the  Unionists  of  Tennessee.  He  had  been  cajoled  into 
the  Confederate  service ;  his  hand,  not  his  heart,  seemed  to 
have  been  the  sinner. 

THE    BRIDGE    BURNING. 

The  burning  of  bridges  in  East  Tennessee  was  an  act  of  the 
Unionists,  to  prevent  the  Confederates  from  throwing  reen- 
forcements  into  that  section,  while  Garland  pushed  down 
through  Cumberland  Gap  to  protect  the  Unionists  in  their 
pre-arranged  uprising.  The  story  of  the  burning  was  never 
known  until  the  Parson  revealed  it  on  his  arrival  in  Nashville, 
late  in  February  (1861.)  The  substance  of  his  statements,  at 
that  time,  was  thus  reported  by  the  Louisville  Journal: 

"  It  appears  that  Chaplin  Carter  and  Captain  Fry,  of  one  of 
the  Tennessee  regiments,  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  made 
their  way  in  disguise  and  over  hidden  paths  to  the  house  of  a 
prominent  loyalist,  within  eight  miles  of  Knoxville.  Here 
they  convened  about  one  hundred  trustworthy  and  devoted 
men,  to  whom  they  represented  that  a  Federal  division  was 
about  forcing  its  way  into  the  Eastern  district,  and  that,  in 


OF     THE     WAR.  275 

order  to  insure  the  success  of  the  contemplated  expedition,  and 
prevent  the  reenforcement  of  the  Confederate  forces  then 
guarding  the  Gap  from  either  the  West  or  East,  they  were 
authorized  by  the  Federal  military  authorities  to  prepare  and 
execute  a  plan  for  the  destruction  of  the  principal  bridges  on 
the  East  Tennessee  and  Virginia  Eailroad. 

"  Most  of  those  present  at  once  signified  their  willingness  to 
co-operate  with  them,  and  it  was  accordingly  arranged  that 
parties  of  fifteen  to  twenty -five,  armed  and  provided  with  the 
necessary  combustibles,  should  proceed  as  secretly  as  possible 
to  the  vicinity  of  the  bridges  selected  for  destruction.  Captain 
Fry,  assuming  the  character  of  a  Confederate  contractor,  pro 
fessedly  engaged  in  the  purchase  of  hogs,  under  the  name  of 
Colonel  Walker,  traveled  from  point  to  point,  personally 
superintending  the  preparations. 

"  So  well  were  the  plans  laid,  and  so  successfully  carried 
out,  that,  although  the  most  westerly  of  the  doomed  bridges 
was  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles  from  the 
most  easterly,  the  guards  at  all  of  them  were  overpowered,  and 
the  structures  fired  within  the  same  hour  of  the  same  night, 
that  is,  between  the  hours  of  eleven  and  twelve  of  the  night 
of  the  10th  of  November.  The  bridges  were  readily  set  in 
flames  by  means  of  ropes  dipped  in  turpentine  and  stretched 
from  end  to  end.  Captain  Fry  was  himself  present  at  the 
burning  of  the  Lick  Creek  bridge. 

"  The  guards  at  that  point  were  not  only  overcome,  dis 
armed  and  tied,  but  also  made  to  swear  allegiance  to  the 
United  States,  upon  a  Bible  brought  along  for  the  purpose. 
Captain  Fry  started  for  Southern  Kentucky  immediately  after 
the  burning,  to  return,  as  the  conspirators  all  believed,  in  a 
few  days,  with  a  Federal  army.  His  brother  was  afterward 
arrested,  and  hung  by  the  rebels." 

It  is  one  of  the  melancholy  episodes  of  the  war  that  Garland 
and  Schoepf  were  stayed  in  their  advance  upon  East  Tennessee. 
The  way  was  open ;  and  the  uprising  of  the  Unionists,  with 
the  help  of  the  Federal  forces,  certainly  would  have  given  that 
section  up  to  the  Union.  The  "  circumlocution  office''  had 


276  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

another  way  of  doing  the  thing — of  gathering  a  tremendous 
force,  in  the  course  of  time — to  march  down  upon  Nashville, 
then  to  whip  the  rebels  out  of  West  Tennessee ;  then  to  ad 
vance  into  East  Tennessee.  The  poor  Unionists  pined  in 
dungeons  through  the  weary  ten  months  which  followed  before 
their  deliverance  came,  by  the  advance  of  Mitchell  from  the 
South  and  of  Morgan  from  Cumberland  Gap.  East  Tennessee 
should  have  been  in  the  Union,  in  November,  1861 ;  and, 
doubtless  would  have  been,  if  counter  orders  had  not  arrested 
a  simple,  straight-forward,  discreet  campaign.  This,  we  believe, 
is  now  the  opinion  of  those  best  qualified  to  sit  in  judgment 
on  events  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 


THE    CAMPAIGN    IN    MISSOURI.      THE    FIRST 
DISASTER. 

THE  final  defection  of  General  Price  and  Governor  Jackson 
(June  12th)  was  followed  by  their  calling  out  all  the  troops 
available  to  "  fight  the  hireling  Dutch,"  as  the  United  States 
volunteers  were  then  called.  They  gathered  in  strong  force  at 
Boonsville,  whither  General  Lyon  proceeded  with  all  the  avail 
able  force  at  his  disposition — consisting  chiefly  of  the  First, 
Third,  and  Fourth  Missouri  regiments  volunteers,  with  several 
companies  of  regulars,  two  batteries  of  artillery,  and  several 
companies  of  Home  Guards.  The  battle  of  Boonsville  followed, 
June  17th,  in  which  Price's  forces  were  routed,  and  his  camp 
equipage,  stores,  etc.,  captured.  The  Federal  loss  was  two 
killed  and  nine  wounded.  General  Price  was  not  in  the  fight, 
having  gone  home  the  day  previous,  ill 


OF     THE     WAR.  277 

The  Second  Missouri  regiment  stopped  at  Jefferson  City, 
where  Colonel  Boernstein  assumed  command.  He  issued  his 
proclamation  (June  17th,)  announcing  the  flight  of  the  Gover 
nor  and  other  State  functionaries,  and  proclaiming  his  purpose 
to  co-operate  with  the  civil  and  judicial  authorities  to  preserve 
law  and  order. 

On  the  18th,  General  Lyon  issued  his  proclamation  to  the 
people  of  Missouri,  in  which  he  set  forth  the  true  condition  of 
matters  as  between  the  absconding  Governor,  with  his  treason 
able  coadjutors,  and  the  General  Government.  He  assured 
peace  and  safety  to  all  who  did  not  bear  arms  against  the 
Government,  and  requested  all  who  had  been  deceived  into  a 
co-operation  with  the  treason  of  their  late  Executive,  to  lay 
down  their  arms,  and  return  to  their  homes.  He  warned  those 
in  arms,  however,  against  hoping  for  clemency,  if  they  per 
sisted  in  hostility  against  their  country. 

On  the  18th,  the  Secessionists  from  "Warsaw  and  vicinity 
attacked  a  body  of  Home  Guards  at  Camp  Cole,  and  dispersed 
them — the  Guards  losing  twenty-three  killed,  twenty  wounded, 
and  thirty  prisoners.  The  attacking  force  was  comprised 
largely  of  Price's  men,  who  had  retired  from  Boonsville  upon 
Lyon's  approach. 

Lyon  immediately  proceeded  to  dispose  his  forces  so  as  to 
command  the  best  points  of  occupation  in  the  State.  Siegel 
was  pushed  out  toward  Springfield,  where  he  arrived  June 
23d.  Learning  that  Jackson  was  coming  down  from  the 
North  with  the  remnant  of  his  forces,  through  Cedar  County, 
Siegel  advanced  to  Mount  Yernon  to  intercept  his  retreat.  At 
Mount  Yernon  he  ascertained  that  Price  was  at  Keosho,  and 
immediately  resolved  to  use  him  up  before  striking  for  Jack 
son.  With  that  object  in  view,  he  moved  (June  30th)  on  to 
ISTeosho  ;  but  Price  had  retreated  before  him. 

The  rebels  effected  a  combination  of  their  forces,  under  Gen 
erals  Parsons  and  Eains,  at  Dry  Fork  Creek,  eight  miles  north 
of  Carthage.  By  orders  of  Brigadier-General  Sweeny — who 
had  then  arrived  at  Springfield  and  assumed  command  of  the 
Federal  forces  operating  in  South-western  Missouri — Siegel, 

Y 


27$  INCIDENTS     AND   ANECDOTES 

on  the  morning  of  July  5th,  pushed  out  to  meet  the  enemy. 
His  force  consisted  of  eight  companies  of  his  own  (Third)  regi 
ment,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hassendeubel, 
Missouri  volunteers  ;  seven  companies  of  the  Fifth  regiment, 
Colonel  Salomon ;  and  eight  field  pieces  under  command  of 
Major  Backof.  The  enemy's  force  comprised  State  troops  and 
Arkansas  volunteers  to  the  number  of  fifty-five  hundred — • 
nearly  one  half  mounted — and  a  battery  of  five  guns.  An 
account  of  the  battle  given  by  one  who  was  present,  read  : 

"  Our  command  was  about  one  thousand  two  hundred 
strong,  including  a  part  of  Colonel  Salomon's  regiment.  "We 
met  the  enemy  in  camp,  in  an  open  prairie,  three  miles  be 
yond  Dry  Fork.  We  could  not  discover  many  infantry,  but 
numbers  of  cavalry.  Approaching  within  eight  hundred 
yards,  we  took  our  position.  The  artillery  was  placed  in 
front ;  we  had  on  our  left  two  six-pounders  ;  in  our  center, 
two  six-pounders  and  two  twelve-pounders  ;  and  two  six- 
pounders  on  our  right.  The  enemy,  who  occupied  the  high 
est  ground  in  the  prairie,  had  in  position  one  six-pounder  on 
the  right  and  left,  and  in  his  center  one  twelve  and  two  six- 
pounders.  The  fight  commenced  at  half-past  nine,  when  large 
bodies  of  infantry  began  to  appear.  The  firing  of  the  enemy 
was  wretched.  I  have  seen  much  artillery  practice,  but  never 
saw  such  bad  gunnery  before.  Their  balls  and  shells  went 
over  us,  and  exploded  in  the  open  prairie.  At  eleven  o'clock 
we  had  silenced  their  twelve-pounder  and  broken  their  center 
so  much  that  disorder  was  apparent.  After  the  first  five  shots 
the  two  secession  flags  which  they  carried  were  not  shown. 
They  displayed  the  State  flag,  which  we  did  not  fire  at.  At 
about  two  o'clock  the  cavalry  attempted  to  outflank  us,  on 
both  right  and  left.  As  we  had  left  our  baggage  trains  three 
miles  in  the  rear,  not  anticipating  a  serious  engagement,  it  was 
necessary  to  fall  back  to  prevent  their  capture.  Colonel  Siegel 
then  ordered  two  six-pounders  to  the  rear,  and  changed  his 
front,  two  six  pounders  on  the  flanks,  and  the  twelve  and 
six-pounders  in  the  rear,  and  commenced  falling  back  in  a 
steady  and  orderly  manner,  firing  as  we  went.  We  proceeded, 


OF     THE     WAR.  279 

with,  hardly  a  -word  to  be  heard  except  the  orders  of  the  offi 
cers,  until  we  reached  our  baggage  wagons,  which  had  ap 
proached  with  the  two  companies  left  in  reserve.  They  were 
formed  (fifty  wagons)  into  a  solid  square,  and  surrounded  by 
the  infantry  and  artillery,  as  before.  The  retreat  was  without 
serious  casualty  until  we  approached  the  Dry  Fork  Creek, 
where  the  road  passes  between  bluffs  on  either  side.  The  cav 
alry  of  the  enemy,  eight  hundred  strong,  had  concentrated  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  to  cut  us  off.  Colonel  Siege! 
ordered  two  more  cannon  to  the  right  and  left  oblique  in  front, 
and  then  by  a  concentrated  cross-fire  poured  in  upon  them  a 
brisk  fire  of  canister  and  shrapnell  shell.  The  confusion  which 
ensued  was  terrific.  Horses,  both  with  and  without  riders, 
were  galloping  and  neighing  about  the  plain,  and  the  riders  in 
a  perfect  panic.  "We  took  here  two  or  three  prisoners,  who, 
upon  being  questioned,  said  their  force  numbered  about  five 
thousand  five  hundred,  and  expressed  their  astonishment  at 
the  manner  in  which  our  troops  behaved. 

"  We  proceeded,  after  capturing  about  thirty-five  horses,  to 
ward  Carthage.  Just  before  entering  the  town,  at  about  six 
o'clock,  we  brought  up  at  Buck  Creek,  where  three  companies 
of  infantry  conspicuously  posted  themselves  on  the  bank, 
while  the  rest,  in  two  columns,  made  a  small  circuit  around 
the  town,  which  is  situated  near  the  creek.  The  artillery  then 
poured  in  a  well-directed  fire  upon  the  village.  The  horse 
men  started  out  in  affright,  and  our  soldiers  brought  them 
down  with  fearful  effect.  This  was  the  heaviest  charge  of  the 
whole  day.  No  regular  volley  of  musketry  had  been  ordered 
until  this  time,  and  the  Minie  rifles  carried  their  leaden  mes 
sengers  through  man  and  horse  with  damaging  effect.  The 
enemy  must  have  lost  fully  two  hundred  men  in  this  skirmish. 
Night  was  approaching  as  we  passed  through  Garth?  ge.  The 
remnant  of  the  horsemen  of  the  rebels  were  scattered  in  all 
directions ;  their  forces  were  coming  up  in  our  rear,  and  we 
concluded  to  make  for  the  woods  on  the  Mount  Yernon  road 
We  could  not  have  captured  the  entire  force  without  some 


280  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

loss ;  and  as  we  were  acting  without  orders,  thought  it  pru 
dent  to  withdraw  with  our  advantage. 

"  We  took  in  all  forty-five  prisoners,  some  of  them  officers  ; 
those  taken  at  the  Dry  Creek  at  five  o'clock  reported  about 
two  hundred  killed,  and  as  the  heaviest  fighting  was  done 
afterwards,  I  estimate  their  loss  at  near  five  hundred.  Our 
loss  up  to  the  time  I  left,  was  eight  killed  and  missing,  and 
forty-five  wounded.  As  we  brought  off  our  wounded  and 
dead,  it  is  probable  this  may  reduce  the  mortality  list. 

"  The  rebels  halted  at  Carthage,  and  hoisted  the  secession 
rag,  when  our  artillery  wheeled,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  in 
position,  and  firing.  Shot  and  shell  were  whistling  over  their 
heads  when  the  flag  disappeared  from  our  view.  We  then 
kept  on  our  way  to  Mount  Yernon,  where  we  were  ordered  to 
rendezvous,  expecting  to  meet  General  Sweeney." 

This  masterly  retreat  covered  Siegel  with  glory,  and  inspired 
the  utmost  confidence  among  the  troops  for  their  commanders. 
Almost  all  those  engaged  were  Germans,  while  the  officers 
were  largely  composed  of  Germans  and  Hungarians,  of  large 
experience  on  European  battle-fields. 

That  section  of  the  State  immediately  became  the  seat  of 
stirring  movements.  There  the  rebels  gathered  heavy  forces 
from  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  preparatory  to  a  strike  for  St. 
Louis  and  the  Capital,  Jefferson  city.  Lyon  immediately  as 
sumed  the  field  command — General  Fremont  having  taken 
chief  command  of  the  Department  of  the  West,  July  9th. 
Sharp  engagements  of  detached  bodies  occurred  at  Florida, 
where  a  rebel  camp  was  broken  up — at  Forsythe,  which  the 
Federal  forces  occupied — at  Tilton,  &c.  ;  while,  on  the  2d  of 
August,  Lyon  fell  upon  Ben  McCullough's  advancing  brigades, 
under  command  of  General  Rains  and  Colonel  Mclntosh,  at 
Dug  Spring,  nineteen  miles  South-west  of  Springfield.  The 
rebels  withdrew  before  his  vigorous  first  assault,  leaving  forty 
dead  and  forty -four  wounded  upon  the  field.  McCullough's 
design  was  to  fall  upon  Springfield,  and,  by  the  very  enormity 
of  his  numbers,  to  cut  Lyon's  command  to  pieces.  Lyon  slowly 


OF     THE     WAR.  281 

retreated  from  Dug  Spring  to  Springfield,  resolved  to  hold  it 
at  all  hazards — even  if  his  long  looked  for,  and  earnestly  called 
for,  reenforcements  from  St.  Louis  did  not  arrive.  If  Spring 
field  was  lost,  McCullough  and  Price  might  march  direct  upon 
St.  Louis.  New  Madrid  was  held  by  the  enemy,  from  whence 
the  recusant  Governor  hoped,  by  aid  of  the  Confederate  forces, 
then  centering  there,  to  fall  upon  Bird  Point  and  Cairo.  Au 
gust  5th,  Jackson  issued,  from  thence,  his  "  Declaration  of  the 
Independence  of  Missouri" — a  rather  remarkable  document 
considering  that  he  had  been  deposed  by  the  properly  con 
stituted  Convention,  July  31st,  so  that  another  Governor 
(Judge  Hamilton  E.  Gamble)  had  been  chosen  (August  1st) 
in  Jackson's  stead.  The  "  Declaration"  was  the  cry  of  revenge 
and  mortification,  and  was  put  forth  as  a  rejoinder  to  Gover 
nor  Gamble's  Address  and  Proclamation  to  the  People  of  Mis 
souri,  issued  August  3d. 

Price  moved  his  brigade,  July  25th — then  encamped  on 
Cowskin  Prairie,  in  McDonald  County — toward  Cassville,  in 
Berry  County,  where  it  had  been  arranged  the  forces  of 
McCullough,  Pearce,  McBride,  and  Price  should  concentrate, 
preparatory  to  the  march  on  Springfield.  The  junction  with 
McCullough  and  Pearce's  commands  was  effected  July  28th. 
The  First  Division,  under  McCullough,  left  Cassville  August 
1st,  taking  the  road  to  Springfield,  followed  by  the  Second 
Division,  under  Price  and  Pearce  (of  Arkansas.)  The  Third 
Division,  under  General  Steen,  started  forward  August  2d.  It 
was  the  advance  guards  of  this  combined  army  which  were  en 
countered  by  Lyon's  forces  at  Dug  Spring.  The  Federal 
General,  discovering  the  enormous  force  of  the  enemy — as  the 
several  divisions  came  up  and  concentrated  on  Crane  Creek — 
retired  before  them,  and  managed  to  give  them  a  bloody  greet 
ing  before  they  reached  their  destined  goal.  Accordingly,  his 
forces  marched  out,  on  the  night  of  August  9th,*  from  Spring- 

*  Lyon  inarched  out  on  the  7th,  for  the  night  attack,  but  found 
morning  so  near  at  hand  when  he  was  prepared  to  move  from  Camp 
Hunter,  (two  miles  from  Springfield,)  that  he  recalled  the  orders  and 
returned  to  town,  resolved  to  try  it  again,  if  circumstances  seemed  to 
warrant  the  hazardous  enterprise. 
36  Y2 


282  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

field,  to  encounter  the  rebels,  then  in  full  force  at  Wilson's 
Creek,  about  ten  miles  south  of  the  city.  The  Federal  dispo 
sition  was  to  assail  by  two  columns — one  led  by  General 
Lyon  in  person,  the  other  by  Colonel  Franz  Siegel. 

Lyon's  conduct,  in  ordering  this  advance,  has  been  censured 
as  rash,  and,  perhaps,  as  influenced  somewhat  by  pique  at  the 
neglect  shown  him  by  the  commanding  General  at  St.  Louis, 
But,  it  is  certain  that  he  acted  from  a  high  and  noble  sense  of 
duty.  One  who  was  present  at  the  time,  wrote :  "A  consul 
tation  was  held,  and  the  question  of  evacuating  Springfield 
seriously  discussed.  Looking  at  it  in  a  military  view,  there 
was  no  doubt  of  the  propriety,  and  even  necessity  of  the  step, 
and  many  of  General  Lyon's  officers  counseled  such  a  move 
ment  Some  favored  a  retreat  in  the  direction  of  Kansas, 
while  others  regarded  Eolla  as  the  more  desirable.  General 
Sweeney,  however,  pointed  out  the  disastrous  results  which 
must  ensue  upon  retreating  without  a  battle — how  the  enemy 
would  be  flushed  and  boastful  over  such  an  easy  conquest, 
the  Union  element  crushed  or  estranged  from  us,  and  declared 
himself  in  favor  of  holding  on  to  the  last  moment,  and  of 
giving  the  enemy  battle  as  soon  as  he  should  approach  within 
striking  distance.  This  kind  of  counsel  decided  General  Lyon 
to  remain,  save  his  own  reputation  and  that  of  the  officers 
under  him,  and  not  evacuate  Springfield  until  compelled." 

The  enemy,  also,  had  resolved  upon  a  night  advance  from 
Wilson's  Creek  camp,  upon  Springfield,  hoping  to  surround 
it,  and,  by  day-break,  to  close  in  upon  Lyon  so  as  to  prevent 
his  escape  to  .Holla.  Every  disposition  was  made  for  the  move 
ment — the  men  were  under  arms,  with  orders  to  march,  by 
four  columns,  at  nine  o'clock  P.  M.  Price,  for  some  unex 
plained  reason,  having  passed  over  the  chief  command  to 
McCullough,  the  latter  ordered  the  expedition  to  be  given  up, 
late  at  night,  as  the  darkness  was  intense  and  a  storm  threat 
ened.  Lyon  was  not  intimidated  by  the  darkness — it  rather 
was  favorable,  as  it  covered  his  passage  and  general  disposition 
from  the  observation  of  pickets  and  scouts. 

Price,  in  his  report  of  the  conflict,  said  :  "  About  six  o'clock 


OF    THE     WAK.  283 

I  received  a  messenger  from  General  Rains,  that  the  enemy 
werve  advancing  in  great  force,  from  the  direction  of  Spring 
field,  and  were  already  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the 
position  where  he  was  encamped  with  the  Second  Division, 
consisting  of  about  1,200  men,  under  Colonel  Crawford.  A 
second  messenger  came  immediately  afterward  from  General 
Rains  to  announce  that  the  enemy's  main  body  was  upon  him, 
but  that  he  would  endeavor  to  hold  him  in  check  until  he 
could  receive  reenforcements.  General  McCullough  was  with 
me  when  these  messengers  came,  and  left  at  once  for  his  own 
head-quarters,  to  make  the  necessary  disposition  of  our  forces. 

"  I  rode  forward  instantly  toward  General  Rains'  position, 
ordering  Generals  Slack,  McBride,  Clark,  and  Parsons  to  move 
their  infantry  and  artillery  forward.  I  had  ridden  but  a  few 
hundred  yards,  when  I  came  suddenly  upon  the  main  body  of 
the  enemy,  commanded  by  General  Lyon  in  person.  The 
infantry  and  artillery  which  I  had  ordered  to  follow  me,  came 
up  immediately,  to  the  number  of  2,036  men,  and  engaged  the 
enemy.  A  severe  and  bloody  conflict  ensued ;  my  officers 
and  men  behaving  with  the  greatest  bravery,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  a  portion  of  the  Confederate  forces,  successfully 
holding  the  enemy  in  check. 

"  Meanwhile,  and  almost  simultaneously  with  the  opening 
of  the  enemy's  batteries  in  this  quarter,  a  heavy  cannonading 
was  opened  on  the  rear  of  our  position,  where  a  large  body  of 
the  enemy,  under  Colonel  Siegel,  had  taken  position,  in  close 
proximity  to  Colonel  Churchill's  regiment,  Colonel  Greer's 
Texan  Rangers,  and  679  mounted  Missourians,  under  com 
mand  of  Lieutenant-Colonels  Major  and  Brown. 

"  The  action  now  became  general,  and  was  conducted  with 
the  greatest  gallantry  and  vigor  on  both  sides,  for  more  than 
five  hours,  when  the  enemy  retreated  in  great  confusion,  leav 
ing  their  Commander-in- Chief,  General  Lj^on,  dead  upon  the 
battle-field,  over  five  hundred  killed  and  a  great  number 
wounded.  The  forces  under  ray  command  have  also  a  largo 
number  of  prisoners." 

This  briefly  alludes  to  the  attack.     Its  circumstances  were 


284:  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

so  full  of  interest  that  we  may  refer  to  it  more  at  length.  An 
account  by  an  eye-witness,  as  well  as  the  reports  of  Siegel  and 
Major  Sturgis,  offer  all  necessary  information.  The  former 
said  :  "  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  General  Siegel,  with 
his  own  and  Colonel  Salomon's  command  and  six  pieces  of 
artillery,  moved  southward,  marching  until  nearly  two  o'clock, 
and  passing  around  the  extreme  camp  of  the  enemy,  where  he 
halted,  thirteen  miles  from  town,  and  on  the  south  side  of  the 
rebels,  ready  to  move  forward  and  begin  the  attack  as  soon  as 
he  should  hear  the  roar  of  General  Lyon's  artillery.  The  main 
body  of  troops  under  General  Lyon  moved  from  the  city  about 
the  same  hour,  halted  a  short  time  five  miles  west  of  the  city, 
thence  in  a  south-westerly  direction  four  miles,  where  we  halt 
ed  and  slept  till  four  A.  M.,  Saturday,  the  day  of  the  battle.  *  * 

*  *  *  "It  was  now  five  o'clock.  The  enemy's  pickets 
were  driven  in  ;  the  northern  end  of  the  valley  in  which  they 
were  encamped  was  visible,  with  its  thousand  of  tents  and  its 
camp-fires ;  the  sky  was  cloudy,  but  not  threatening,  and  the 
most  terribly  destructive  of  battles,  compared  with  ;the  number 
engaged,  was  at  hand.  Our  army  moved  now  toward  the 
south-west,  to  leave  the  creek  and  a  spring  which  empties  in 
it  on  our  left.  Passing  over  a  spur  of  high  land  which  lies 
at  the  north  end  of  the  valley,  they  entered  a  valley  and  be 
gan  to  ascend  a  hill,  moderately  covered  with  trees  and  under 
wood,  which  was  not,  however,  dense  enough  to  be  any  im 
pediment  to  the  artillery.  * 

"  Meanwhile  the  opposite  hill  had  been  stormed  and  taken 
by  the  gallant  Missouri  First,  and  Osterhaus's  battalion  and 
Totten's  battery  of  six  pieces  had  taken  position  on  its  summit 
and  north  side,  and  was  belching  forth  its  loud-mouthed  thun 
der  much  to  the  distraction  of  the  opposing  force,  who  had 
already  been  started  upon  a  full  retreat  by  the  thick-raining 
bullets  of  Colonel  Blair's  boys.  Lieutenant  DuBois's  battery, 
four  pieces,  had  also  opened  on  the  eastern  slope,  firing  upon 
a  force  which  was  retreating  toward  the  south-east  on  a  road 
leading  up  the  hill,  which  juts  into  the  south-western  angle  of 


OF     THE     WAR.  285 

the  creek,  and  upon  a  battery  placed  near  by  to  cover  their 
etreat.  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"  Having  driven  a  regiment  of  the  enemy  from  one  hill,  the 
Missouri  volunteers  encountered  in  the  valley  beyond,  another 
fresh  and  finely-equipped  regiment  of  Louisianians,  whom, 
after  a  bitter  fight  of  forty-five  minutes,  they  drove  back  and 
scattered,  assisted  by  Captain  Lothrop  and  his  regular  rifle 
recruits.  Totten  and  Dubois  were,  meanwhile,  firing  upon  the 
enemy  forming  in  the  south-west  angle  of  the  valley,  and  upon 
their  batteries  on  the  opposite  hill. 

"  The  undaunted  First,  with  ranks  already  thinned,  again 
moved  forward  up  the  second  hill,  just  on  the  brow  of  which 
they  met  still  another  fresh  regiment,  which  poured  a  terrible 
volley  of  musketry  into  their  diminished  numbers.  Never 
yielding  an  inch,  they  gradually  crowded  their  opposers  back 
ward,  still  backward,  losing  many  of  their  own  men,  killed 
and  wounded,  but  covering  the  ground  thick  with  the  retreat 
ing  foe.  Lieutenant- Colonel  Andrews,  already  wounded,  still 
kept  his  position,  urging  the  men  onward  by  every  argument 
in  his  power.  Lieutenant  Murphy,  when  they  once  halted, 
wavering,  stepped  several  paces  forward,  waving  his  sword  in 
the  air,  and  called  successfully  upon  his  men  to  follow  him. 
Every  Captain  and  Lieutenant  did  his  duty  nobly,  and  when 
they  were  recalled  and  replaced  by  the  fresh  Iowa  and  Kansas 
troops,  many  were  the  faces  covered  with  powder  and  dripping 
with  blood.  Captain  Gratz,  gallantly  urging  his  men  forward 
against  tremendous  odds,  fell  mortally  wounded,  and  died  soon 
after.  Lieutenant  Brown,  calling  upon  his  men  to  '  come  for 
ward,'  fell  with  a  severe  scalp  wound  Captain  Cole  of  the 
Missouri  First  had  his  lower  jaw  shattered  by  a  bullet,  but 
kept  his  place  until  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  retire  to  give 
place  to  the  First  Iowa  and  some  Kansas  troops. 

"  Just  then  General  Green's  Tennessee  regiment  of  cavalry, 
bearing  a  secession  flag,  charged  down  the  western  slope  near 
the  rear  upon  a  few  companies  of  the  Kansas  Second  who 
were  guarding  the  ambulance  wagons  and  wounded,  and  had 
nearly  overpo\»  ered  them,  when  one  of  Totten's  howitzers  was 


286  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

turned  in  that  direction,  and  a  few  rounds  of  canister  effectu 
ally  dispersed  them.  The  roar  of  the  distant  and  near  artil 
lery  now  grew  terrific.  On  all  sides  it  was  one  continuous 
boom,  while  the  music  of  the  musket  and  rifle  balls  flying  like 
an  aggravated  swarm  of  bees  around  one?s  ears  wa,s  actually 
pleasant,  compared  with  the  tremendous  whiz  of  a  cannon  ball 
or  the  bursting  of  a  shell  in  close  proximity  to  one's  dignity. 

"  Up  to  this  time  General  Lyon  had  received  two  wounds, 
and  had  his  fine  dappled  grey  shot  under  him,  which  is  suf 
ficient  evidence  that  he  had  sought  no  place  of  safety  for  him 
self  while  he  placed  his  men  in  danger.  Indeed  he  had 
already  unwisely  exposed  himself.  Seeing  blood  upon  his  hat, 
I  inquired,  "General,  are  you  badly  hurt?"  to  which  he 
replied,  "  I  think  not  seriously."  He  had  mounted  another 
horse,  and  was  as  busily  engaged  as  ever. 

"  The  Iowa  First,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Merritt,  and 
part  of  the  Kansas  troops  were  ordered  forward  to  take  the 
place  of  the  Missouris.  They  fought  like  tigers,  stood  firm  as 
trees,  and  saved  us  from  utter  and  overwhelming  defeat.  Gen 
eral  Lyon  saw  their  indomitable  perseverance  and  bravery, 
and  with  almost  his  last  breath  praised  their  behavior  in  glow 
ing  terms.  Three  companies  of  the  lowans  were  placed  in 
ambush  by  Captain  Granger,  of  the  regulars.  Lying  down 
close  to  the  brow  of  the  hill,  they  waited  for  another  attempt 
of  the  enemy  to  retake  jbheir  position.  On  they  came,  in  over 
whelming  numbers.  Not  a  breath  was  heard  among  the 
lowas,  till  their  enemies  came  within  thirty -five  or  forty  feet, 
when  they  poured  the  contents  of  their  Minie  muskets  into  the 
enemy,  and  routed  them,  though  suffering  terribly  themselves 
at  the  same  time.  Two  Kansas  companies  afterward  did  the 
same  thing  on  the  eastern  slope,  and  repulsed  a  vigorous  attack 
of  the  enemy. 

"  Lyon  now  desired  the  men  to  prepare  to  make  a  bayonet 
charge  immediately  after  delivering  their  next  fire.  The 
lowas  at  once  offered  to  go,  and  asked  for  a  leader.  On  came 
the  enemy.  No  time  could  be  lost,;to  select  a  leader.  "  I  will 
lead  you,'  exclaimed  Lyon.  "  Come  on,  brave  men,"  lie 


OF     THE     WAR.  287 

had  about  placed  himself  in  the  van  of  the  lowas,  while  Gen 
eral  Sweeney  took  a  similar  position  to  lead  on  a  portion  of 
the  Kansas  troop,  when  the  enemy  came  only  near  enough  to 
discharge  their  pieces,  and  retired  before  the  destructive  fire 
of  our  men.  Before  the  galling  fire  from  the  enemy,  the  brave 
General  Lyon  fell. 

"  The  command  now  devolved  upon  Major  Sturgis.  There 
was  no  certainty  that  Siegel  had  been  engaged  in  the  fight  at 
all,  as  our  artillery  had  kept  up  such  a  constant  roar  that  guns 
three  miles  distant  were  but  little  noticed.  Under  these  cir 
cumstances,  Major  Sturgis  had  about  determined  to  cross  his 
command  through  the  valley  (the  recent  northern  camp  of  the 
enemy)  eastward,  and,  if  possible,  make  a  junction  with  Siegel 
on  or  near  the  Fayetteville  road.  Before  he  had  time  to  give 
the  necessary  orders,  another  attack  from  the  enemy  was  an 
nounced  by  the  volleys  of  musketry  which  were  heard  on  our 
right.  Major  Sturgis  directed  his  attention  that  way,  and  the 
enemy  were  again  repulsed. 

"  Captain  Totten  then  reported  his  cannon  ammunition  nearly 
gone.  This  decided  the  course  to  be  pursued,  and  Major 
Sturgis  at  once  sent  the  ambulances  toward  the  city,  and 
Lietenant  DuBois'  battery  back  to  the  hill  at  the  north  end  of 
the  valley,  to  protect  the  retreat  Then,  in  good  order,  the 
remnant  of  the  bravest  body  of  soldiers  in  the  United  States 
commenced  a  retreat,  even  while  they  were  victorious  in 
battle." 

Siegel  was  experiencing  the  fortunes  of  a  reverse  on  the 
East.  He  had  advanced  so  rapidly  as  to  surprise  the  enemy, 
and,  by  capturing  his  pickets,  was  upon  them  like  a  whirlwind. 
They  flew  before  him  as  he  pressed  his  way  toward  the 
Fayetteville  road,  which  he  reached,  and  a  fine  position  was 
secured  on  a  hill.  Having  heard  the  firing  suddenly  cease  in 
the  direction  of  Lyon's  forces,  he  supposed  the  Federal  attack, 
like  his  own,  to  have  been  successful ;  and,  that  Lyon's  troops 
were  pursuing  the  enemy,  he  deemed  conclusive  from  the 
large  bodies  of  the  rebels  moving  toward  the  South.  He 
stated,  in  his  report :  "  This  was  the  state  of  affairs  at  half-past 


288  INCIDENTS     AND    ANECDOTES 

eight  o'clock,  A.  M.,  when  it  was  reported  that  Lyon's  men 
were  coming  up  the  road.  Lieutenant  Albert,  of  the  Third, 
and  Colonel  Salomon,  of  the  Fifth,  notified  their  regiments  not 
to  fire  on  troops  coming  in  that  direction,  whilst  I  cautioned 
the  artillery  in  the  same  manner.  Our  troops,  at  this  moment, 
expected  with  anxiety  the  approach  of  our  friends,  and  were 
waving  the  flag  raised  as  a  signal  to  their  comrades,  when  at 
once  two  batteries  opened  their  fire  against  us — one  in  front, 
on  the  Fayetteville  road,  and  the  other  upon  the  hill  upon 
which  we  had  supposed  Lyon's  forces  were  in  pursuit  of  the 
enemy,  whilst  a  strong  column  of  infantry — supposed  to  be 
the  Iowa  regiment — advanced  from  the  Fayetteville  road,  and 
attacked  our  right. 

"It  is  impossible  for  me  to  describe  the  consternation  and 
frightful  confusion  which  was  occasioned  by  this  important 
event.  The  cry,  '  They  (Lyon's  troops)  are  firing  against  us  !' 
spread  like  wildfire  through  our  ranks;  the  artillerymen, 
ordered  to  fire,  and  directed  by  myself,  could  hardly  be 
brought  forward  to  serve  their  pieces ;  the  infantry  would  not 
load  their  ann?  'mtil  it  was  too  late.  The  enemy  arrived 
within  ten  pace&  of  the  muzzles  of  our  cannon,  killed  the 
horses,  turned  the  flanks  of  the  infantry,  and  forced  them  to 
fly.  The  troops  were  throwing  themselves  into  the  bushes 
and  by-roads,  retreating  as  well  as  they  could,  followed  and 
attacked  incessantly  by  large  bodies  of  Arkansas  and  Texas 
cavalry.  In  this  retreat  we  lost  five  cannon  (of  which  three 
were  spiked,)  and  the  colors  of  the  Third — the  color-bearer 
having  been  wounded  and  his  substitute  killed.  The  total 
loss  of  the  two  regiments,  the  artillery  and  the  pioneers,  in 
killed,  wounded  and  missing,  amounts  to  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-two  men." 

Siegel  stated,  as  the  chief  cause  of  the  repulse,  that  four 
hundred  men  of  the  three  months  troops,  (Colonel  Salomon's 
regiment,)  whose  term  of  enlistment  had  expired,  were  unwill 
ing  to  go  into  the  fight,  and  stampeded  at  the  first  opportunity. 
Their  defection  and  insubordination  lost  all  at  the  critical 
moment 


O*1    THE    WAR.  289 

The  affair  was,  notwithstanding  these  reverses,  a  drawn  bat 
tle.  The  enemy,  after  their  last  repulse  by  Major  Sturgis,  re 
tired  in  confusion  and  prepared  to  retreat,  fearing  an  advance 
by  oui  troops — as  would  have  been  the  case  had  not  the  artil 
lery  ammunition  have  given  out,  as  reported.  The  rebels  set 
fire  to  and  consumed  a  large  train  of  their  stores,  munitions 
and  camp  equipment,  fearing  their  capture  by  the  Federals. 
This  alone  proves  how  nearly  the  battle  was  won  on  the  right 
and  front.  Had  Siegel  appeared  at  that  opportune  moment 
the  large  army  of  the  enemy  (confessed  to  have  been  23,000 
strong)  would  have  been  overwhelmed  with  defeat  by  5,500 
Federal  troops. 

The  Federal  forces,  under  Major  Sturgis,  fell  back,  in  good 
order,  toward  Springfield — the  enemy  not  pursuing — another 
proof  of  their  own  repulse.  After  the  arrival  at  Springfield  it 
was  determined  to  fall  back  upon  Kolla,  immediately,  since  it 
was  evident  the  enemy  would  soon  cut  off  retreat  in  that  direc 
tion.  Siegel  took  command  of  the  general  disposition  for  the 
retreat.  He  was  called  upon  to  exercise  all  his  ingenuity  to 
get  out  of  the  net  now  thrown  around  him  by  the  strong  col 
umns  of  the  rebels,  who  well  knew  every  rood  of  soil  in  that 
section.  Preparations  were  begun  for  the  retreat  on  the  night 
of  the  14th.  By  day -break  the  Federal  columns  were  on  the 
march  toward  the  G-asconade.  A  correspondent,  on  the  even 
ing  of  the  10th,  wrote  :  "  With  a  baggage  train  five  miles  long 
to  protect,  it  will  be  singular  indeed,  if  the  enemy  does  not 
prove  enterprising  enough  to  cut  off  a  portion  of  it,  having 
such  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry."  But,  the  retreat  was  safely 
effected,  and  the  vicinity  of  Kolla  was  reached  Saturday,  Au 
gust  19th.  There  the  three  months  men  were  disposed  for 
disbandment,  and  the  gallant  Iowa  First  was  sent  forward  im 
mediately  to  St.  Louis  to  be  mustered  out  of  service — their 
term  having  also  expired. 

The  official  reports  of  the  Federal  losses  showed  them  to  be 

as  follows  :  killed,  223  :  wounded,  721  ;  missing,  292.     Of  the 

latter  231  belonged  to  Siegel's  brigade.     Of  the  wounded  208 

were  of  the  First  Missouri,  181  of  the  First  Kansas  and  138 

37  z 


290  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

of  the  First  Iowa  volunteers — proving  how  well  these  regi 
ments  fought. 

This  disaster  was  followed  by  an  inroad  of  the  enemy,  as 
Lyon  foresaw,  which  soon  gave  them  possession  of  that  por 
tion  of  the  State.  It  cost  much  blood  and  treasure,  and  many 
months  of  hard  campaigning  to  dislodge  them.  Had  Lyon 
been  reenforced  all  would  have  been  well.  Even  two  or  three 
fresh  regiments  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry  woiild  have  fill 
ed  up  the  ranks  of  the  retiring  three  months  men,  and  have 
afforded  forces  enough  to  have  kept  the  enemy  tit  bay  until 
Fremont  could  come  on  in  force.  The  loss  of  Springfield  in 
flicted  untold  suffering  upon  the  Unionists  of  that  section.  It 
was  a  disaster  for  which  the  country  did  not  cease  to  hold  Fre 
mont  responsible,  although  the  General  urged  the  strong  plea 
that  his  men  were  totally  unfit  for  the  field  from  want  of  arms, 
transportation,  &c. 

Price,  immediately  after  the  retreat,  moved  his  entire  forces 
into  Springfield,  from  whence  he  issued  the  following  procla 
mation  to  the  People  of  Missouri  : 

"  FELLOW  CITIZENS  :  The  army  under  my  command  has  been  or 
ganized  under  the  Laws  of  the  State  for  the  protection  of  your  homes 
and  firesides,  and  for  the  maintenance  of  the  rights,  dignity,  and  honor 
of  Missouri.  It  is  kept  in  the  field  for  these  purposes  alone,  and  to  aid 
in  accomplishing  them  our  gallant  Southern  brethren  have  come  into  our 
State. 

"  We  have  just  achieved  a  glorious  victory  over  the  foe,  and  scattered 
far  and  wide  the  appointed  army  which  the  usurper  at  Washington 
has  been  more  than  six  months  gathering  for  your  subjugation  and  en 
slavement.  This  victory  frees  a  large  portion  of  the  State  from  the  pow 
er  of  the  invaders,  and  restores  it  to  the  protection  of  its  army.  It  con 
sequently  becomes  my  duty  to  assure  you  that  it  is  my  firm  determin 
ation  to  protect  every  peaceable  and  law  abiding  citizen  in  the  full  enjoy 
ment  of  all  his  rights,  whatever  may  have  been  his  sympathies  in  the 
present  unhappy  struggle,  if  he  has  not  taken  an  active  part  in  the  cruel 
warfare  which  has  been  waged  against  the  good  people  of  this  State  by 
the  ruthless  enemies  whom  we  have  just  defeated.  I  therefore  invite  all 
good  citizens  to  return  to  their  homes  and  the  practice  of  their  ordinary 
avocation,  with  the  full  assurance  that  they,  their  families,  their  homes, 
and  their  property  shall  be  carefully  protected. 

"  I  at  the  same  time  warn  all  evil-disposed  persons  who  may  support 


OF     THE     WAR.  291 

the  usurpations  of  any  one  claiming  to  be  provisional  or  temporary  Gov 
ernor  of  Missouri,  or  who  shall  in  any  other  way  give  aid  or  comfort  to 
the  enemy,  that  they  will  be  held  as  enemies  and  treated  accordingly. 

"  (Signed)  STERLING  PRICE, 

"Major  General  Commanding  Missouri  State  Guard." 

This  had  the  effect  to  throw  into  his  ranks  a  large  number 
of  those  people  in  the  south-western  portion  of  the  State  who 
awaited  the  result  of  this  conflict  before  determining  their 
allegiance.  It  also  forced  acquiescence  from  all  settlers  who 
did  not  flee  with  the  Federal  army ;  but  even  that  acquies 
cence  did  not  protect  their  farms  from  devastation  by  the 
hordes  of  veritable  "  cut- throats"  of  which  the  invading  army 
was  largely  composed.  It  is  certain  that  the  army  brought 
by  McCullough  into  Missouri  was  composed  almost  exclu 
sively  of  Texan  Eangers — men  as  wild  as  Indians  and  as  fe 
rocious  as  hyenas.  They  never,  in  all  their  service  in  the 
Confederate  ranks,  were  brought  under  subjugation  to  disci 
pline.  The  "  border  ruffians"  who  also  gathered  around  Price 
were  but  little  better.  It  was  of  such  elements  that  the 
armies  of  Pricej  Yan  Dorn,  McCullough  and  Kains  were 
afterwards  composed 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WILSON'S  CEEEK  DISASTER. 

THE  Iowa  and  Kansas  troops  were  so  full  of  levity  on  their 
marches  that  Lyon  rather  distrusted  their  steadiness  and  cour 
age.  He  had  occasion,  happily,  before  his  death,  to  learn  to 
admire  their  heroic  valor.  It  was  in  heading  the  charge  of 
the  lowans  that  he  lost  his  life. 


292  INCIDENTS    AND     ANECDOTES 

When  General  Lyon  fell  he  was  picked  up  by  his  body- 
servant  and  one  of  his  guard,  and  carried  lifeless  toward  the 
ambulances,  in  one  of  which  his  body  was  placed  to  be  con 
veyed  to  Springfield.  General  Sweeney  received  a  shot  in  his 
right  leg,  at  the  same  fire,  and  limped  back  to  the  surgeon. 

Siegel,  before  his  reverse,  secured  about  sixty  prisoners  and 
a  large  number  of  horses.  These  men  he  made  useful  at  a 
critical  juncture,  by  making  them  pull  his  only  preserved  can 
non  off  the  field,  after  all  the  horses  were  killed. 

Colonel  Bates  of  the  Iowa  First,  who  had  been  confined  for 
several  days  with  a  fever  and  diarrhoea,  mounted  his  horse 
and  attempted  to  go  to  the  field  of  battle  on  the  evening  pre 
ceding  it,  but  was  compelled  to  return  to  town  much  to  his 
regret,  after  marching  two  or  three  miles  with  the  column. 

Of  the  rebel  loss  nothing  is  known  with  certainty,  though 
the  terrific  precision  of  our  artillery  rendered  it  apparent  that 
dreadful  havoc  followed  Captain  Totten's  balls  and  shells. 
A  correspondent  wrote :  "  Dr.  Schenck  who  visited  McCul- 
lough  and  Rains  after  the  battle,  while  gathering  our  wounded, 
says  their  loss  is  much  heavier  than  ours  ;  that  while  our  dead 
were  comparatively  few,  theirs  were  gathered  in  great  heaps 
under  the  trees.  He  says  that  so  many  of  their  tents  were 
destroyed  by  themselves,  that  not  less  than  two-thirds  of  them 
would  have  to  bivouac  under  trees  and  by  camp-fires  for  the 
night" 

Of  the  doings  of  a  Congressman,  the  same  writer  said  :  "  1 
had  not  proceeded  far  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  creek  when  I 
met  the  son  of  the  Honorable  John  S.  Phelps,  who  had  left 
town  upon  hearing  the  cannonading,  with  a  few  mounted 
Kansas  troops,  and  not  discerning  the  exact  position  of  the 
two  armies,  had  busied  himself  taking  prisoners  on  the  Fay- 
etteville  road  and  west  of  it.  When  I  met  him  he  had  captured 
half  a  dozen,  including  a  negro  belonging  to  an  officer  in  a  Lou 
isiana  regiment"  .  , 

Another  letter  writer  said  of  General  Lyon's  removal  from 
the  field,  that  his  body  was  lifted  from  its  ambulance  to  give 
place  to  the  wounded — no  one  surmising  that  it  was  the  body 


OF     THE     WAR.  293 

of  their  General.  It  was  soon  recovered,  however,  and  buried 
near  Springfield,  whence  it  was  taken  by  his  friends,  with  the 
consent  of  the  rebels,  and  conveyed,  by  way  of  St.  Louis,  to 
Connecticut  for  burial. 

General  Lyon  went  into  the  battle  in  civilian's  dress,  except 
a  military  coat.  He  wore  a  soft  hat  of  an  ashen  hue,  with  long 
fur  and  a  very  broad  brim,  turned  up  on  three  sides.  He  had 
been  wearing  it  for  a  month  ;  there  was  only  one  like  it  in  the 
command,  and  it  would  have  individualized  the  wearer  among 
50,000  men.  His  peculiar  dress  and  personal  appearance  were 
well  known  through  the  enemy's  camps.  He  received  a  new 
and  elegant  uniform  just  before  the  battle,  but  never  wore  it 
until  his  remains  were  arrayed  in  it,  after  his  brave  spirit 
had  fled. 

The  First  Kansas  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel  G. 
W.  Deitzler  of  Lawrence,  whose  horse  was  pierced  with  four 
balls  early  in  the  battle.  Just  as  his  horse  fell  the  Colonel 
himself  received  a  buck-shot  in  his  thigh,  inflicting  an  ugly 
wound  ;  but  he  tied  a  handkerchief  around  the  bleeding  limb, 
mounted  a  fresh  steed,  and  continued  to  direct  the  regiment 
until  he  was  unable  to  sit  upright. 

Every  company  of  this  superb  regiment  was  led  by  "  repre 
sentative  men" — those  who  knew  how  to  meet  an  enemy,  from 
having  already  served  in  many  a  "  border  ruffian  skrimmage." 
A  singular  instance  of  coolness  was  betrayed  by  company  E, 
Captain  Clayton  of  Leavenworth,  which  went  into  the  fight 
seventy-three  strong  and  came  out  with  but  twenty-six  un 
harmed  men.  The  company  having  become  separated  from 
its  regiment  joined  what  was  supposed  to  be  the  First  Iowa, 
Captain  Clayton  was  astounded  to  find,  however,  that  he  had, 
in  truth,  joined  the  enemy,  for  the  regiment  proved  to  be  that 
led  by  the  notorious  scoundrel  Colonel  Clarkson,  of  border 
ruffian  notoriety.  The  rebels,  in  their  excitement,  did  not 
discover  the  identity  of  the  Federal  company.  Captain  Clay 
ton,  with  great  presence  of  mind,  did  nothing  to  apprise  his 
own  men  of  their  danger ;  but  cried  out :  "  Boys,  you  are 
crowding  here  ;  oblique  to  the  right."  They  obeyed,  and  were 
z2 


294  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

forty  or  fifty  paces  away  when  tlie  rebels  began  to  be  sus 
picious,  and  one  of  their  officers  rode  up  and  asked :  "  What 
troops  are  you  ?"  "  First  Kansas,"  was  the  Captain's  prompt 
reply.  "  Who  are  you  ?"  "  I  am  the  adjutant  of  the  Missouri 
Fifth."  "Southern  troops?"  "Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  adju 
tant,  putting  spurs  to  his  horse ;  but  in  an  instant  Captain 
Clayton  dragged  him  to  the  ground,  and,  with  a  cocked  pistol 
at  his  breast,  commanded  him  to  give  up  his  sword.  He 
obeyed ;  but,  by  this  time,  the  rebel  regiment  had  discovered 
"  the  situation,"  and  presented  their  guns.  Captain  Clayton 
still  held  the  adjutant  by  the  collar,  directly  in  front  of  his 
little  band,  where  he  would  be  the  most  exposed  if  the  rebels 
fired,  and  said  :  "  Order  your  regiment  not  to  fire."  The  ad 
jutant  not  only  refused  to  do  this,  but  ordered  his  men  to 
"  open  fire,"  regardless  of  him.  He  was  instantly  bayoneted 
and  shot  fatally.  Eebel  though  he  was,  he  was  certainly  a 
brave  fellow.  The  Missourians  fired  upon  Captain  Clayton's 
little  company,  now  only  about  forty  strong,  bringing  down 
about  a  dozen  men.  The  Kansas  boys  replied  with  one  vol 
ley,  and  then  ran  for  their  lives,  soon  reaching  one  of  our  regi 
ments.  But  for  the  coolness  of  their  commander  they  must 
have  been  captured  or  quite  cut  to  pieces. 

In  his  report,  Major  Sturgis  said :  "  The  great  question  in 
my  mind  was — where  is  Siegel  ?  If  I  could  still  hope  for  a 
vigorous  attack  by  him  on  the  enemy's  right  flank  and  rear, 
then  we  could  go  forward  with  some  hope  of  success.  If  he 
had  retreated,  then  there  was  nothing  for  us  but  retreat  In 
this  perplexing  condition  of  affairs,  I  summoned  the  principal 
officers  for  consultation.  The  great  question  with  most  of 
them  was : — Is  retreat  possible  ?  The  consultation  was 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  advance  of  a  heavy  column  of  in 
fantry,  from  the  hill  where  Siegel's  guns  had  before  been 
heard.  Thinking  they  were  Siegel's  men,  a  line  was  formed 
for  an  advance, 'with  the  hope  of  forming  a  junction  with  him. 
These  troops  wore  a  dress  much  resembling  that  of  Siegers 
brigade,  and  carried  the  American  flag.  They  were,  therefore, 
permitted  to  move  down  the  hill  within  easy  range  of  DuBois' 


OF     THE     WAR.  295 

battery,  until  they  reached  the  covered  position  at  the  foot  of 
the  ridge  on  which  we  rested,  and  upon  which  we  had  before 
been  so  fiercely  assailed.  Suddenly  a  battery,  planted  on  the 
hill  in  our  front,  began  to  pour  upon  us  shrapnell  and  canister 
— a  species  of  shot  not  before  fired  by  the  enemy.  At  this 
moment  the  enemy  showed  his  true  colors.  At  once  there 
commenced  along  our  entire  lines  the  bloodiest  and  fiercest 
engagement  of  the  day.  Lieutenant  DuBois'  battery  on  our 
left,  gallantly  supported  by  Major  Osterhaus'  battalion,  and 
the  rallied  fragments  of  the  First  Missouri,  soon  silenced  the 
enemy's  battery  on  the  hill  and  repulsed  the  right  wing  of  the 
rebel  infantry.  Captain  Totten's  battery  in  the  centre,  sup 
ported  by  the  lowas  and  the  regulars,  was  the  main  point  of 
attack.  The  enemy  would  frequently  be  seen  within  twenty  feet 
of  Totterfs  gunSj  and  the  smoke  of  the  opposing  lines  was  often 
so  confounded  as  to  seem  but  one.  Now,  for  the  first  time 
during  the  day,  our  entire  line  maintained  its  position  with 
perfect  firmness.  Not  the  slightest  disposition  to  give  way 
was  manifested  at  any  point.  Captain  Steele's  battalion,  which 
was  some  yards  in  front  of  the  line,  together  with  the  troops 
on  the  right  and  left,  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  over 
whelmed  by  superior  numbers — the  contending  parties  being 
almost  muzzle  to  muzzle.  Captain  Granger  rushed  to  the  rear, 
and  brought  up  the  supports  of  DuBois'  battery,  consisting  of 
two  or  three  companies  of  the  First  Minnesota,  three  companies 
of  the  First  Kansas  and  two  companies  of  the  First  Iowa,  in 
quick  time.  These  fell  upon  the  enemy's  right  flank,  and 
poured  into  it  a  murderous  fire,  killing  or  wounding  nearly 
every  man  within  sixty  or  seventy  yards.  From  this  moment 
a  perfect  route  took  place  throughout  the  rebel  front,  while 
ours,  on  the  right  flank,  continued  to  pour  in  a  galling  fire 
into  their  disorganized  masses." 

This  saved  the  day  from  proving  an  overwhelming  disaster, 
and  inspired  the  rebels  with  such  a  wholesome  dread  of  the 
Unionists'  ability  to  hold  their  own — that  no  pursuit  was 
made  when  the  retreat  was  ordered. 

A   dispatch  to  the  Rebel  authorities  from  Little  Rook, 


296  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Arkansas,  August  19th,  confessed  the  losses  of  the  Southern 
army  to  have  been — killed,  265  ;  .wounded,  800  ;  missing,  38. 
This  was  much  understated.  Siegel  alone  captured  ovef 
sixty  prisoners,  and  safely  secured  them.  The  enemy's  killed 
was  stated  by  deserters  and  other  informers  to  have  been  over 
five  hundred.  The  dispatch  said  :  "  The  enemy  gave  a  com 
plete  surprise  on  the  morning  of  the  10th,  commencing  on 
Churchill's  regiment,  whilst  at  breakfast.  The  regiment  was 
thrown  into  confusion,  but  our  men  saddled  their  horses  and 
fought  bravely ;  they  had  eight  killed  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  wounded.  Totten's  battery  opened  on  McCullough's 
headquarters  with  six  guns.  The  Little  Eock  Pulaski  artillery 
soon  returned  their  fire,  keeping  the  enemy  in  check  till  our 
men  had  time  to  form.  General  Price  led  the  Third,  and  part 
of  the  Fifth  regiments  to  McCullough's  aid,  and  saved  the  day. 
McCullough  afterward  said  to  Price,  '  You  have  saved  me  and 
the  battle.'  Churchill's  regiment,  Gratiot's  regiment,  and  the 
Texas  regiment  are  badly  cut  to  pieces." 


GENERAL    LYON. 

IN  the  death  of  General  Lyon  the  National  cause  experi 
enced  a  great  loss.  His  services  already  had  endeared  him  to 
the  people,  and  his  future  was  looked  forward  to  with  confi 
dence,  by  the  army  and  by  the  public.  The  expression  of 
regret  freely  uttered  by  the  press  was  reechoed  by  the  people. 
Up  to  the  date  of  his  fall,  no  officer  of  the  service  had  perished 
on  the  field  whose  loss  was  more  sincerely  regretted. 


OF     THE     WAR.  297 

Nathaniel  Lyon  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  sprung 
from  an  old  and  honored  family.  He  was  born  in  the  town 
of  Ashford  (now  Eastford,)  Windham  County,  in  the  year  1821. 
His  grandfather,  Ephraim  Lyon,  was  an  officer  in  the  old 
French  war,  under  the  command  of  Sir  "William  Johnson,  and 
also  an  officer  in  the  War  of  the  Eevolution.  His  grandfather 
on  his  mother's  side,  was  Lieutenant  Daniel  Knowlton,  a 
brother  of  Colonel  Thomas  Knowlton,  who  fell  at  White 
Plains,  and  was  with  him  in  that  action,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill. 

The  two  brothers,  Thomas  and  Daniel  Knowlton,  had  both 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  war  between  the  Colonists  and 
English  against  the  French,  from  1755  to  1760.  At  the  com 
mencement  of  the  Eevolution.  we  find  these  two  brothers 
among  the  first  to  take  the  field  in  defense  of  their  country, 
and  at  Bunker  Hill,  both  the  historian  and  the  artist  have 
contributed  to  place  the  name  of  Colonel  Knowlton  among 
the  most  prominent  of  those  whom  a  grateful  country  will 
ever  delight  to  honor. 

The  oft  recited  deeds  of  daring  and  patriotism  among  his 
ancestors,  thus  falling  upon  the  ears  of  young  Lyon  from  a 
mother's  lips,  fired  his  youthful  heart,  and  had  much  to  do 
with  his  choice  of  the  profession  of  arms.  At  an  early  age  he 
showed  great  mathematical  talent  and  a  power  of  combination 
and  plan  in  the  development  of  schemes,  which,  added  to  an 
iron,  will  and  an  indomitable  perseverance,  thus  early  and 
unmistakably  marked  him  as  one  "born  to  command." 

He  entered  the  West  Point  Military  Academy  in  1837,  gra 
duating  in  1841,  with  the  rank  of  Second  Lieutenant  of  the 
Second  Infantry.  His  first  service  was  in  the  Florida  Ever 
glades — then  he  was  transferred  to  the  frontier.  On  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Mexican  war,  he  was  detailed  to  General 
Taylor's  command,  but  soon  followed  Scott — who,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  compelled  to  take  from  Taylor's  already 
meagre  army,  enough  men  to  open  the  campaign  against  Yera 
Cruz.  He  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  General  into  the  Capi 
tal  City,  serving  with  distinction  in  every  engagement  up  to 
38 


298    *  INCIDENTS      A.ND     ANECDOTES 

the  entrance  into  the  Grand  Plaza.  In  February,  1847,  he 
was  made  First  Lieutenant,  and  for  gallant  conduct  in  the 
battles  of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco,  during  August  following, 
he  was  breveted  Captain.  On  September  13th,  he  was  wounded 
in  the  assault  on  the  Belen  gate,  and  in  June,  1851,  was  pro 
moted  to  a  Captaincy. 

After  the  conclusion  of  peace  with  Mexico,  he  was  ordered 
to  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  preparatory  to  a  contemplated 
march,  overland,  to  California.  By  a  change  of  orders  from 
the  War  Department,  his  regiment  was  dispatched  by  ship  via 
Cape  Horn,  and  reached  California  soon  after  its  acquisition 
by  the  United  States.  His  stay  in  California  was  prolonged 
beyond  that  of  most  of  his  fellow-officers,  and  his  time  unceas 
ingly  employed  in  operating  among  the  Indians,  subjected  to 
long  and  tedious  marches,  constant  alarms,  and  frequent  skir- 
mrahes,  living  a  large  portion  of  the  time  in  tents,  and  subject 
to  the  fatigues  and  privations  incident  to  a  campaign  in  that 
new  and  hitherto  unknown  country,  so  far  removed  from  the 
comforts  of  civilization. 

After  being  relieved  from  his  long  service  in  California,  he 
was  again  stationed  on  our  Western  frontier,  serving  most  of 
the  time  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  He  consequently  became 
familiar  with  the  men  and  measures  which  have  so  agitated 
the  country  for  the  last  few  years  in  that  section  of  the  country, 
and  imbibed  no  special  love  for  Slavery  Propagandism.  From 
an  ardent  support  of  a  Democratic  Administration  he  passed — 
as  so  many  eminent  Democrats  also  did — into  the  Free  State 
party,  to  become  an  ardent  enemy  of  the  Buchanan  regime. 
One  who  knew  him  well  when  he  was  stationed  at  Fort  Eeiley 
said  :  "  He  possessed  great  moral  courage.  Notwithstanding 
his  personal  bravery  and  his  military  education,  he  was  consci 
entiously  opposed  to  duelling,  and  no  provocation  could  ever 
drive  him  into  a  recognition  of  the  code.  On  one  occasion  he 
was  even  struck  on  the  face.  Of  course,  it  then  required  much 
more  courage  to  refrain  from  challenging  his  adversary  than 
to  fight  him;  but  he  adhered  inflexibly  to  his  convictions. 
For  a  time  this  subjected  him  to  misapprehension,  and  even  to 


OF     THE     WAK.  299 

contempt,  among  military  men ;  but,  long  before  his  death, 
his  fellow-officers  understood  and  respected  his  position  upon 
that  subject 

The  "  Department  of  the  "West"  after  the  Kansas  troubles, 
passed  under  command  of  General  Harncy,  whose  headquarters 
were  at  St.  Louis.  Thither  Lyon  was  called,  upon  the  first 
appearance  of  trouble  in  the  political  horizon.  The  outrages 
•and  infamous  treachery  toward  Government  committed  by 
Floyd  and  his  secession  coadjutors,  rendered  it  highly  neces 
sary  that  the  St.  Louis  Arsenal  should  be  intrusted  to  loyal 
hands ;  and  Lyon  was  placed  in  charge*  Its  property  was 
preserved  only  by  his  decision,  and  his  positive  stand  against 
treason.  May  10th,  he  suddenly  sallied  out,  at  the  head  of 
two  regiments  of  volunteers  and  a  detachment  of  regulars,  to 
seize  the  "  State  Guard"  located  close  to  St.  Louis — taking  the 
entire  crowd  prisoners,  with  all  their  artillery,  camp  equipage, 
munitions,  etc.  It  was  a  bold  stroke,  but  a  masterly  one  ;  for 
that  State  camp,  as  he  well  knew,  was  a  camp  of  Secessionists, 
whose  designs  were  inimical  to  the  stability  or  security  of 
Government  property  in  St.  Louis.  Harney  was  soon  called 
upon  to  relinquish  the  chief  command ;  and  Captain  Lyon, 
then  chosen  by  the  Missouri  volunteers  as  their  commanding 
General,  was  commissioned  by  the  President  Brigadier- General 
of  Volunteers  and  assigned  the  chief  command  in  Missouri — a 
command  which  he  retained  until  July  9th,  when  Major- 
General  Fremont  became  General-in-Chief  of  the  Department 
of  the  Mississippi 

The  rest  of  Lyon's  history  is  written  in  the  chapter  devoted 
to  the  campaign  which  resulted  in  the  disaster  at  Wilson's 
Creek.  It  is  a  history  at  once  pleasureable  and  painful  to 
peruse  —  pleasurable  for  the  brilliant  achievement  of  the 
Federal  troops  up  to  their  final  retreat  from  South-western 
Missouri — painful,  from  the  death  of  their  gallant  leader,  and 
the  necessity  for  such  a  retreat  as  followed.  One  who  was  in 
Missouri,  and  well  knew  the  circumstances  of  Lyon's  last  des 
perate'  dash  at  the  overflowing  ranks  of  the  rebels,  thus  spoke 
of  that  last  act  and  its  disastrous  termination  : 


300  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  Now  that  the  smoke  begins  to  clear  away  from  the  battle  of  Spring, 
field,  it  is  apparent  that  his  death  was  worthy  of  his  life.  He  attacked 
the  enemy  with  a  full  comprehension  that  the  odds  were  fearfully  against 
him,  and  that  little  short  of  a  miracle  could  enable  him  to  come  off 
victorious ;  but  he  felt  that  the  Cause  demanded  it ;  that  for  him  to 
abandon  Springfield  without  a  battle,  would  demoralize  and  dishearten 
the  Union  men  of  South-west  Missouri,  and  pain  every  loyal  breast  in 
the  nation.  The  rebels  would  soon  cut  off  his  communication,  and 
surround  him  ;  the  position  was  not  susceptible  of  defense  against  their 
overwhelming  numbers.  He  had  no  alternative  but  to  fall  back  to 
Kolla,  or  to  attack  the  enemy.  He  obeyed  the  voice  of  patriotism,  and 
went  out  to  danger  and  to  death  on  that  summer  morning,  *  as  a  man 
goes  to  his  bridal.'  Twice  wounded,  he  was  still  undaunted,  and  re 
fused  to  obey  the  requests  of  his  friends,  that  he  should  seek  a  less  ex 
posed  position.  Even  after  he  believed  the  day  lost,  he  sprang  eagerly 
from  his  dead  horse  into  a  fresh  saddle  ;  at  the  head  of  a  forlorn  hope, 
dashed  into  the  thick  of  the  fight,  and  died  like  a  true  soldier.  May 
his  memory  long  be  green  in  the  nation's  heart,  and  his  name  high  in 
the  roll  of  honor,  among 

" '  The  brave,  who  sink  to  rest, 

By  all  their  country's  wishes  blest ! '  " 

After  the  battle,  Lyon's  body  was  borne  back  to  Springfield, 
and  thence  taken  to  the  farm  of  Hon.  John  S.  Phelps,  near  at 
hand  There  it  was  placed — by  Lyon's  brigade  surgeon,  Dr. 
Franklin,  and  by  Mrs.  Phelps — in  a  coffin,  sealed,  and  tempo 
rarily  deposited  in  a  pit,  preparatory  to  its  removal  to  Kolla. 
But,  the  retreat  was  so  rapid,  and  the  necessities  of  the 
wounded  so  absorbing,  that  the  body  of  the  General  was  left 
for  after-removal.  Mrs.  Phelps  had  it  carefully  buried — her 
husband  having  had  to  flee  with  the  retreating  Unionists.  It 
was  recovered  on  Friday,  August  23d,  by  a  party  who  obtained 
it  under  the  protection  of  a  flag  of  truce — General  Price  kindly 
affording  every  facility  for  the  disinterment. 

It  was  borne  to  Connecticut  for  interment,  accompanied  by 
a  guard  of  honor,  composed  of  several  of  his  fellow-officers 
and  a  detachment  of  the  St.  Louis  .Home  Guards.  Every 
where  on  the  route,  where  the  remains  tarried,  they  were  re 
ceived  with  civic  and  military  honors.  In  New  York  City 
they  lay  in  state  for  a  few  hours.  At  Eastford,  his  native  vil 
lage,  they  were  buried,  with  all  the  honor  which  admiring  and 


OF    THE    WAK.  301 

sympathetic  friends  could  bestow — the  Hon.  Galusha  A.  Grow 
pronouncing  the  funeral  oration.  Resolutions  were  adopted 
at  a  large  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Eastford,  expressive  of 
their  consideration  for  the  virtues  and  character  of  the  deceased. 
We  may  quote  one  of  several  of  the  resolves  adopted  : 

"  Resolved,  That  as  Ms  fellow-townsmen,  while  we  mourn  our  loss,  we 
rejoice  that  we  have  his  birth-spot  among  us  to  cheer  us  in  steadfast 
devotion  to  our  country ;  and.  we  trust  his  grave  among  us  will  be  the 
spot  where  future  generations  will  gather,  and  be  inspired  with  a  noble 
emulation  of  his  and  the  virtues  of  Sherman,  Trumbull,  Putnam,  and 
others,  who  have  arisen  in  this  State,  defenders  of  their  country's  flag, 
and  supporters  of  its  Government." 


XXIX 


THE   SECOND   DISASTER  IN  MISSOURI.      THE  SIEGE  AND 
FALL  OF  LEXINGTON. 

THE  seventy-two  hours  defense  of  Lexington,  by  twenty- 
seven  hundred  and  eighty  troops  under  command  of  Colonel 
William  Mulligan,  was  one  of  the  most  gallant  affairs  of  the 
War.  Learning  that  Price  was  pushing  up  in  strong  force 
toward  Lexington,  Colonel  Mulligan  started,  September  1st, 
with  his  Irish  (Chicago)  brigade,  from  his  camp  near  Jefferson 
city — determined  to  hold  Lexington  at  all  hazards.  If  Lex 
ington  was  lost  it  would  give  the  rebels  command  of  the  Mis 
souri,  cutting  off  communication  with  the  army  in  Kansas  and 
threatening  Jefferson  city.  As  foreseen  by  Lyon,  the  •  rebels 
had,  after  their  victory  near  Springfield,  overrun  the  entire 
western  section  of  the  State,  and  so  rapid  were  their  advance 
toward  the  North  and  East  that  by  September  1st  the  line  of 
2A 


302  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Missouri  river  was  threatened  by  them.  Fremont  ordered 
Mulligan  forward  to  Lexington.  Colonel  Marshall's  cavalry 
(Illinois)  was  to  join  him,  with  Colonel  White's  Home  Guards, 
while  Colonel  Peabody  (Thirteenth  Missouri)  was  to  fall  back 
upon  Lexington  from  Warrensburg  if  pressed  by  the  enemy. 
In  the  meantime,  General  Sturgis  was  to  move  down  from 
Kansas  city  with  his  entire  disposable  force  (1,500)  to  the  re- 
enforcement  of  Lexington,  while  General  Lane  was  to  press 
forward  from  Harrisonville  and  assail  Price  from  that  direc 
tion.  These  movements,  it  was  thought  by  Fremont,  would 
so  employ  the  enemy  as  to  keep  him  at  bay  until  he  (Fremont) 
could  come  forward  with  his  own  forces  from  St  Louis  and 
vicinity. 

Mulligan  did  his  part  By  a  forced  march  of  ten  days  his 
troops  reached  Lexington,  having  foraged  by  the  way  for 
rations.  At  Lexington  he  found  Colonel  Marshall  with  his 
cavalry  and  Colonel  White's  Home  Guards— each  command 
about  five  hundred  strong.  Colonel  Peabody  soon  came  in, 
pressed  back  by  the  enemy  advancing  upon  Lexington  'from 
Warrensburg.  The  Federal  troops  had  not  long  to  wait,  for, 
on  the  afternoon  of  September  llth,  the  rebels  under  Price  in 
person  appeared  off  the  town.  From  Colonel  Mulligan's  own 
account  of  the  affair,*  we  may  quote  : 

"  On  the  10th  of  September,  a  letter  arrived  from  Colonel  Peabody, 
saying  that  he  was  retreating  from  Warrensburg,  twenty-five  miles  dis 
tant,  and  that  Price  was  pursuing  him  with  ten  thousand  men.  A  fey 
hours  afterward,  Colonel  Peabody,  with  the  Thirteenth  Missouri,  entered 
Lexington.  We  then  had  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty  men 
in  garrison  and  forty  rounds  of  cartridges.  At  noon  of  the  llth  we 
commenced  throwing  up  our  first  intrenchments.  In  six  hours  after 
wards,  the  enemy  opened  their  fire.  Colonel  Peabody  was  ordered  out 
to  meet  them.  The  camp  then  presented  a  lively  scene ;  officers  were 
hurrying  hither  and  thither,  drawing  the  troops  in  line  and  giving 
orders,  and  the  Commander  was  riding  with  his  staff  to  the  bridge  to 
encourage  his  men  and  to  plant  his  artillery.  Two  six-pounders  were 
planted  to  oppose  the  enemy,  and  placed  in  charge  of  Captain  Dan. 
Quirk,  who  remained  at  his  post  till  day-break.  It  was  a  night  of  fear- 

*  From  his  Detroit  speech,  November  29th. 


OF    THE     WAR.  303 

ful  anxiety.  None  knew  at  what  moment  the  enemy  would  be  upon 
the  little  band,  and  the  hours  passed  in  silence  and  anxious  waiting. 
So  it  continued  until  morning,  when  the  Chaplain  rushed  into  head- 
qnarters,  saying  that  the  enemy  were  pushing  forward.  Two  companies 
of  the  Missouri  Thirteenth  were  ordered  out,  and  the  Colonel,  with  the 
aid  of  his  glass,  saw  General  Price  urging  his  men  to  the  fight.  They 
were  met  by  Company  K,  of  the  Irish  brigade,  under  Captain  Quirk, 
who  held  them  in  check  until  Captain  Dillon's  company,  of  the  Missouri 
Thirteenth,  drove  them  back,  and  burned  the  bridge.  That  closed  our 
work  before  breakfast.  Immediately  six  companies  of  the  Missouri 
Thirteenth  and  two  companies  of  Illinois  cavalry  were  despatched  in 
search  of  the  retreating  enemy.  They  engaged  them  in  a  cornfield, 
fought  with  them  gallantly,  and  harassed  them  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
delay  their  progress,  in  order  to  give  time  for  constructing  intrenchments 
around  the  camp  on  College  Hill.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  we 
succeeded  in  throwing  up  earthworks  three  or  four  feet  in  height.  This 
consumed  the  night^  and  was  continued  during  the  next  day,  the  out 
posts  still  opposing  the  enemy,  and  keeping  them  back  as  far  as  possible. 
At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  12th,  the  engagement  opened 
with  artillery.  A  volley  of  grapeshot  was  thrown  among  the  officers, 
who  stood  in  front  of  the  breastworks.  The  guns  within  the  intrench 
ments  immediately  replied  with  a  vigor  which  converted  the  scene  into 
one  of  the  wildest  description.  The  gunners  were  inexperienced,  and 
the  firing  was  bad.  We  had  five  six-pounders,  and  the  musketry  was 
firing  at  every  angle.  Those  who  were  not  shooting  at  the  moon  were 
shooting  above  it.  The  men  were  ordered  to  cease  firing,  and  they  were 
arranged  in  ranks,  kneeling,  the  front  rank  shooting  and  the  others 
loading.  The  artillery  was  served  with  more  care,  and  within  an  hour 
a  shot  from  one  of  our  guns  dismounted  their  largest  piece,  a  twelve- 
pounder,  and  exploded  a  powder  caisson.  This  achievement  was  re 
ceived  with  shouts  of  exultation  by  the  beleaguered  garrison.  The 
enemy  retired  a  distance  of  three  miles.  At  seven  o'clock  the  engage 
ment  had  ceased,  and  Lexington  was  ours  again.  Next  morning  Gene 
ral  Parsons,  with  ten  thousand  men  at  his  back,  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce 
to  a  little  garrison  of  two  thousand  seven  hundred  men,  asking  permis 
sion  to  enter  the  town  and  bury  his  dead,  claiming  that  when  the  noble 
Lyon  went  down,  his  corpse  had  fallen  into  his  hands,  and  he  had 
granted  every  privilege  to  the  Federal  officers  sent  after  it.  It  was  not 
necessary  to  adduce  this  as  a  reason  why  he  should  be  permitted  to 
perform  an  act  which  humanity  would  dictate.  The  request  was  wil 
lingly  granted,  and  we  cheerfully  assisted  in  burying  the  fallen  foe.  On 
Friday  the  work  of  throwing  up  intrenchments  went  on.  It  rained  all 
day,  and  the  men  stood  knee  deep  in  the  mud,  building  them.  Troops 


304  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

were  sent  out  for  forage,  and  returned  with  large  quantities  of  provi 
sions  and  fodder.  On  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday,  we  stole  seven 
days'  provisions  for  two  thousand  seven  hundred  men.  We  had  found 
no  provisions  at  Lexington,  and  were  compelled  to  get  our  rations  as 
best  we  could.  A  quantity  of  powder  was  obtained,  and  then  large 
cisterns  were  filled  with  water.  The  men  made  cartridges  in  the  cellar 
of  the  college  building,  and  cast  one  hundred  and  fifty  rounds  of  shot 
for  the  guns,  at  the  foundries  of  Lexington.  During  the  little  respite 
the  evening  gave  us,  we  cast  our  shot,  made  our  cartridges,  and  stole 
our  own  provisions.  We  had  stacks  of  forage,  plenty  of  hams,  bacon, 
&c.,  and  felt  that  good  times  were  in  store  for  us.  All  this  time,  our 
pickets  were  constantly  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and'  we  were  well 
aware  that  ten  thousand  men  were  threatening  us,  and  knew  that  the 
struggle  was  to  be  a  desperate  one.  Earthworks  had  been  raised  breast- 
high,  enclosing  an  area  of  fifteen  to  eighteen* acres,  and  surrounded  by 
a  ditch.  Outside  of  this  was  a  circle  of  twenty-one  mines,  and  still 
further  down  were  pits  to  embarrass  the  progress  of  the  enemy.  During 
the  night  of  the  17th,  we  were  getting  ready  for  the  defense,  and  heard 
the  sounds  of  preparation  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy  for  the  attack  on 
the  morrow.  Father  Butler  went  around  among  the  men  and  blessed 
them,  and  they  reverently  uncovered  their  heads  and  received  his  bene 
diction.  At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  18th,  the  drums  beat 
to  arms,  and  the  terrible  struggle  commenced.  The  enemy's  force  had 
been  increased  to  twenty-eight  thousand  men  and  thirteen  pieces  of  ar 
tillery,  They  came  as  one  dark  moving  mass ;  men  armed  to  the  teeth 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach — men,  men,  men,  were  visible.  They 
planted  two  batteries  in  front,  one  on  the  left,  one  on  the  right,  and  one 
in  the  rear,  and  opened  with  a  terrible  fire,  which  was  answered  with 
the  utmost  bravery  and  determination.  Our  spies  had  informed  us  that 
the  rebels  intended  to  make  one  grand  rout,  and  bury  us  in  the  trenches 
of  Lexington.  The  batteries  opened  at  nine  o'clock,  and  for  three 
days  they  never  ceased  to  pour  deadly  shot  upon  us.  About  noon  the 
hospital  was  taken.  It  was  situated  on  the  left,  outside  of  the 
in  trench  ments.  I  had  taken  for  granted,  never  thought  it  necessary  to 
build  fortifications  around  the  sick  man's  couch.  I  had  thought  that, 
among  civilized  nations,  the  soldier  sickened  and  wounded  in  the  ser 
vice  of  his  country,  would,  at  least,  be  sacred.  But  I  was  inexperi 
enced,  and  had  yet  to  learn  that  such  was  not  the  case  with  the  rebels. 
They  besieged  the  hospital,  took  it,  and  from  the  balcony  and  roof  their 
sharpshooters  poured  a  deadly  fire  within  our  intrenchments.  It  con 
tained  our  chaplain. and  surgeon,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  wounded 
men.  It  could  not  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy. 
A  company  of  the  Missouri  Thirteenth  was  ordered  forward  to  retake 


OF     THE     WAK.  305 

the  hospital.  They  started  on  their  errand,  but  stopped  at  the  breast 
works,  '  going  not  out  because  it  was  bad  to  go  out.'  A  company  of 
the  Missouri  Fourteenth  was  sent  forward,  but  it  also  shrank  from  the 
task,  and  refused  to  move  outside  the  intrenchnients.  The  Montgom 
ery  Guard,  Captain  Gleason,  of  the  Irish  brigade,  were  then  brought 
out.  The  commander  admonished  them  that  the  others  had  failed ; 
arid  with  a  brief  exhortation  to  uphold  'the  name  they  bore,  gave  the 
word  to  '  charge.'  The  distance  was  eight  hundred  yards.  They  started 
out  from  the  intrenchment,  first  quick,  then  double-quick,  then  on  a 
run,  then  faster.  The  enemy  poured  a  deadly  shower  of  bullets  upon 
them,  but  on  they  went,  a  wild  line  of  steel,  and  what  is  better  than 
steel,  human  will.  They  stormed  up  the  slope  to  the  hospital  door, 
and  with  irresistible  bravery  drove  the  enemy  before  them,  and  hurled 
them  far  down  the  hill  beyond.  At  the  head  of  those  brave  fellows, 
palo.as  marble,  but  not  pale  from  fear,  stood  the  gallant  officer,  Captain 
Glenson.  He  said,  '  Come  on,  my  brave  boys,'  and  in  they  rushed. 
But  when  their  brave  captain  returned,  it  was  with  a  shot  through  the 
cheek  and  another  through  the  arm,  and  with  but  fifty  of  the  eighty  he 
had  led  forth.  The  hospital  was  in  their  possession.  This  charge  was 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  reckless  in  all  history,  and  to  Captain 
Gleason  belongs  the  glory.  Each  side  felt,  after  this  charge,  that  a 
clever  thing  had  been  done,  and  the  fire  of  the  enemy  lagged.  We 
were  in  a  terrible  situation.  Towards  night  the  fire  increased,  and  in 
the  evening  wrord  came  from  the  rebels  that  if  the  garrison  did  not  sur 
render  before  the  next  day,  they  would  hoist  the  back  flag  at  their 
cannon  and  give  us  no  quarter.  Word  was  sent  back  that  '  when  we 
asked  for  quarter  it  would  be  time  to  settle  that.'  It  was  a  terrible 
thing  to  see  those  brave  fellows  mangled,  and  with  no  skillful  hands 
to  bind  their  gaping  wounds.  Our  surgeon  was  held  with  the  enemy, 
against  all  rules  of  war,  and  that,  too,  when  we  had  released  a  surgeon 
of  theirs  on  his  mere  pledge  that  he  was  such.  Captain  Moriarty  went 
into  the  hospital,  and,  with  nothing  but  a  razor,  acted  the  part  of  a 
surgeon.  We  could  not  be  without  a  chaplain  or  surgeon  any  longer. 
There  was  in  our  ranks  a  Lieutenant  Hickey,  a  rollicking,  jolly  fellow, 
who  was  despatched  from  the  hospital  with  orders  to  procure  the  sur 
geon  and  chaplain  at  all  hazards.  Forty  minutes  later  and  the  brave 
Lieutenant  was  borne  by,  severely  wounded.  As  he  was  borne  past  I 
heard  him  exclaim,  '  God  have  mercy  on  my  little  ones  !'  And  God  did 
hear  his  prayers,  for  the  gay  Lieutenant  is  up,  as  rollicking  as  ever,  and 
is  now  forming  his  brigade  to  return  to  the  field.  On  the  morning  of 
the  19th  the  firing  was  resumed  and  continued  all  day.  We  recovered 
our  surgeon  and  chaplain.  The  day  was  signalized  by  a  fierce  bayonet 
charge  upon  a  regiment  of  the  enemy,  which  served  to  show  them  that 

39  2A2 


306  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

our  men  were  not  yet  completely  worried  out.  The  officers  had  told 
them  to  hold  out  until  the  19th,  when  they  would  certainly  be  reen- 
forced.  Through  that  day  our  little  garrison  stood  with  straining  eyes, 
watching  to  see  if  some  friendly  flag  was  bearing  aid  to  them — with 
straining  ear,  awaiting  the  sound  of  a  friendly  cannonade.  But  no  re- 
enforcements  appeared,  and,  with  the  energy  of  despair,  they  determined 
to  do  their  duty  at  all  hazard.  The  19th  was  a  horrid  day.  Our  water 
cisterns  had  been  drained,  and  we  dared  not  leave  the  crown  of  the  hill, 
and  make  our  intrenchments  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  for  the  enemy 
could  have  planted  his  cannon  on  the  hill  and  buried  us.  The  day  was 
burning  hot,  and  the  men  bit  their  cartridges ;  their  lips  were  parched 
and  blistered.  But  not  a  word  of  murmuring.  The  night  of  the  19th 
two  wells  were  ordered  to  be  dug.  We  took  a  ravine,  and  expected  to 
reach  water  in  about  thirty  hours.  During  the  night,  I  passed  around 
the  field,  smoothed  back  the  clotted  hair,  and  by  the  light  of  the  moon, 
shining  through  the  trees,  recognized  here  and  there  the  countenances 
of  my  brave  men  who  had  fallen.  Some  were  my  favorites  in  days  gone 
past,  who  had  stood  by  me  in  these  hours  of  terror,  and  had  fallen  on 
the  hard  fought  field.  Sadly  we  buried  them  in  the  trenches.  The 
morning  of  the  20th  broke,  but  no  reenforceuients  appeared,  and  still 
the  men  fought  on.  The  rebels  had  constructed  movable  breastworks 
of  hemp  bales,  rolled  them  up  the  hill,  and  advanced  their  batteries  in 
a  manner  to  command  the  fortification.  Heated  shot  were  fired  at 
them,  but  they  had  taken  the  precaution  to  soak  the  bales  in  the  Mis 
souri.  The  attack  was  urged  with  renewed  vigor,  and,  during  the  fore 
noon,  the  outer  breastworks  were  taken  by  a  charge  of  the  rebels  in 
force.  The  whole  line  was  broken,  and  the  enemy  rushed  in  upon  us. 
Captain  Fitzgerald,  whom  I  had  known  in  my  younger  days,  and  whom 
we  had  been  accustomed  to  call  by  the  familiar  nickname,  '  Saxy,'  was 
then  ordered  to  oppose  his  company  to  the  assailants.  As  I  gave  the 
order,  '  Saxy,  go  in,'  ^he  gallant  Fitzgerald,  at  the  head  of  company  I, 
with  a  wild  yell  rushed  in  upon  the  enemy.  The  Commander  sent  for 
a  company  on  which  he  could  rely ;  the  firing  suddenly  ceased,  and 
when  the  smoke  rose  from  the  field,  I  observed  the  Michigan  company, 
under  their  gallant  young  commander,  Captain  Patrick  McDermott, 
charging  the  enemy  and  driving  them  back.  Many  of  our  good  fellows 
were  lying  dead,  our  cartridges  had  failed,  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
fight  would  soon  cease.  It  was  now  three  o'clock,  and  all  on  a  sudden 
an  orderly  came,  saying  that  the  enemy  had  sent  a  flag  of  truce.  With 
the  flag  came  the  following  note  from  General  Price  : 
"  '  Colonel — What  has  caused  the  cessation  of  the  fight  ? ' 
"The  Colonel  returned  it  with  the  following  reply  written  on  the 
back :— 


or   THE    WAR.  307 

"  *  General — I  hardly  know,  unless  you  have  surrendered.' 
"  He  took  pains  to  assure  me,  however,  that  such  was  not  the  case.  I 
learned  soon  after  that  the  Home  Guard  had  hoisted  the  white  flag. 
The  Lieutenant  who  had  thus  hoisted  the  flag  was  threatened  with  in" 
stant  death  unless  he  pulled  it  down.  The  men  all  said,  '  we  have  no 
cartridges,  and  a  vast  horde  of  the  enemy  is  about  us.'  They  were  told 
to  go  to  the  line  and  stand  there,  and  use  the  charge  at  the  muzzle  of 
their  guns  or  perish  there.  They  grasped  their  weapons  the  fiercer,  turned 
calmly  about,  and  stood  firmly  at  their  posts.  And  there  they  stood 
without  a  murmur,  praying  as  they  never  prayed  before,  that  the  rebel 
horde  would  show  themselves  at  the  earthworks.  An  officer  remarked, 
'this  is  butchery.'  The  conviction  became  general,  and  a  council  of  war 
was  held.  And  when,  finally,  the  white  flag  was  raised,  Adjutant  Cos- 
grove,  of  your  city,  shed  bitter  tears.  The  place  was  given  up,  upon 
what  conditions,  to  this  day  I  hardly  know  or  care.  The  enemy  came 
pouring  in.  One  foppish  officer,  dressed  in  the  gaudiest  uniform  of  his 
rank,  strutted  up  and  down  through  the  camp,  stopped  before  our  men, 
took  out  a  pair  of  handcuffs,  and  holding- them  up,  said,  'Do  you  know 
what  these  are  for  ?'  We  were  placed  in  file,  and  a  figure  on  horseback, 
looking  much  like  '  Death  on  the  pale  horse,'  led  us  through  the  streets 
of  Lexington.  As  we  passed,  the  secession  ladies  of  Lexington  came 
from  their  houses,  and  from  the  fence  tops  jeered  at  us.  We  were  then 
taken  to  a  hotel  with  no  rations  and  no  proprietor.  After  we  had  board 
ed  there  for  some  time,  we  started  with  General  Price,  on  the  morning  of 
the  30th,  for  « the  land  of  Dixie.'  " 

This  disaster  intensely  excited  the  country  against  the  com 
manding  General  of  the  West.  It  was  pronounced  a  "  reck 
less  sacrifice  of  men,"  a  "  piece  of  bad  generalship,"  a  "  reck 
less  disregard  of  circumstances  ;"  the  loss  of  Lyon  and  the  re 
treat  of  his  forces  were  recalled  with  much  bitterness  ;  and  the 
call  became  loud  for  Fremont's  supercedure.  But,  it  is  cer 
tain  that  Fremont  was  unable  to  cope  with  all  the  embarrass 
ing  circumstances  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  He  assumed 
command  of  the  Department  at  a  date  when  all  other  cam 
paigns  were  already  organized  and  in  motion.  He  found  few 
men,  few  arms,  but  little  artillery,  no  transports  awaiting  him 
— all  had  to  be  created.  The  enemy,  in  the  meanwhile,  was 
in  the  field — armed  and  ready  for  an  immediate  attempt  to 
"  drive  the  invaders  and  the  hireling  Dutch  beyond  the  Mis 
sissippi"  He  fell  upon  Lyon  arid  Siegel  in  overwhelming 


308  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

force,  and  pressed  the  Federal  lines  back  until  Lexington  waa 
open  before  him.  That  Fremont,  during  all  this  advance,  was 
alive  to  the  peril,  his  almost  reckless-exertions  to  obtain  arms, 
horses,  artillery  and  transports,  all  attest ;  and,  if  he  did  not 
succeed  in  keeping  Price  out  of  Lexington,  it  is  certain  that 
he  came  so  near  accomplishing  the  circumvention  and  capture 
of  the  combined  rebel  forces,  that  the  country  has  not  hesitated 
to  exonerate  him  from  much,  if  not  all,  the  blame  at  one  time 
heaped  upon  him.*  His  suspension  from  command  aV  the 
very  moment  when  he  was  about  to  meet  his  foe,  and  to  real 
ize  the  fruits  of  his  unquestionably  well-laid  schemes,  was  one 
of  those  military  errors  which  seem  inseparable  from  every 
great  war. 


XXX 


THE  CHARGE  OF  THE  THEEE  HUNDRED. 

THE  charge  of  Fremont's  "  Body  Guard"  under  Major 
Zagonyi,  and  the  "  Prairie  Scouts"  of  Major  Frank  "Ward  into 
Springfield,  is  conceded  to  have  been  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
feats  of  arms  of  modern  warfare. 

*  The  defense  of  Fremont  made  by  the  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax,  through 
the  columns  of  the  South  Bend  (Indiana)  Register,  silenced  cavil  and 
excited  sympathy  for  him  even  among  those  whose  censures  had  been 
most  severe.  It  was  shown  that,  as  rapidly  as  Fremont  would  fit  his 
men  for  the  field  they  were  taken  from  him  and  sent  to  swell  the  ranks 
of  the  army  of  the  Pgtomac — where  the  peril  was  regarded  as  more 
imminent  than  in  Missouri.  Five  thousand  men  ready  to  support  Mul 
ligan  were,  at  the  very  moment  of  their  departure,  counter-ordered  to 
the  East. 

An  interesting  series  of  papers  on  "  Fremont's  Hundred  Days  in  Mis 
souri,"  will  be  found  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly  for  January,  February  and 
March,  1862. 


OF     THE     WAR.  309 

Charles  Zagonyi  was  a  Hungarian  refugee  who,  like  so  many 
of  his  countrymen,  had  fled  to  this  country  after  the  suppres 
sion  of  the  revolution  in  his  native  country  by  the  iron  hand 
of  the  Russian  Czar.  His  daring  character  brought  the  young 
officer  to  the  notice  of  the  invincible  General  Bern,  by 
whom  he  was  placed  in  command  of  a  troop  of  picked  cavalry 
for  extraordinary  service.  His  story,  after  that  hour,  up  to 
the  date  of  his  capture  by  the  enemy,  was  one  of  unparalleled 
daring.  ,  His  last  act  was  to  charge  upon  a  heavy  artillery 
force.  Over  one  half  of  his  men  were  killed  and  the  rest 
made  prisoners,  but  not  until  after  the  enemy  had  suffered 
terribly.  He  was  then  confined  in  an  Austrian  dungeon,  and 
finally  released,  at  the  end  of  two  years,  to  go  into  exile  in 
America. 

Fremont  drew  around  him  a  large  number  »of  these  refugees 
from  European  tyranny,  and  found  in  them  men  of  great 
value,  in  all  departments  of  the  service.  Zagonyi  enlisted 
three  hundred  carefully  chosen  men  who,  as  a  "  Body  Guard," 
served  as  pioneers  and  scouts  in  Fremont's  advance.  The  ex 
ploit  at  Springfield  was  only  one  of  many  similar  services  for 
which  they  were  designated  by  Fremont ;  but,  the  suspension 
of  his  command  in  Missouri  broke  up  the  Guard  and  Zagonyi 
withdrew  from  the  service  until  his  leader  should  again  be 
given  a  command. 

The  Guard  was  mounted,  and  was  armed  with  German 
sabers  and  revolvers — the  first  company  only  having  carbines. 
The  horses  were  all  bay  in  color,  and  were  chosen  with  special 
reference  to  speed  and  endurance. 

The  expedition  to  Springfield  was  planned,  as  it  afterwards 
appeared,  upon  false  information.  Instead  of  Springfield  be 
ing  held  by  a  small  force,  it  was  in  possession  of  twelve  hun 
dred  infantry  and  four  hundred  cavalry.  Major  Frank  White 
had  been  ordered  by  General  Siegel  to  make  a  reconnoissance 
toward  Springfield  —  the  Union  army  then  being  at  Camp 
Haskell,  south  of  the  Pomme  de  Terre  River,  thirty -four  miles 
from  Warsaw  and  fifty -one  from  Springfield.  The  Major  had 
just  come  in  with  his  dashing  "  Prairie  Scouts,"  one  hundred 


310  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

a.iid  fifty- four  strong,  from  their  gallant  dash  into  Lexington  ; 
and  the  order  to  strike  out  for  the  reconnoissance  found  them 
jaded  from  over  service.  The  Major,  however,  put  out,  and 
was  far  on  his  way  when,  on  the  24th  (of  October)  he  was 
joined  by  Zagonyi,  who  assumed  command  of  the  expedition, 
by  order  of  Fremont.  Zagoiiyi  had  with  him  one  half  of  his 
Guard,  provided  with  only  one  ration.  The  march  to  Spring 
field  was  to  be  forced,  in  order  that  the  enemy  should  be  sur 
prised  and  the  place  secured  before  rebel  reenforcements  could 
reach  it.  The  combined  Scouts  and  Guard  inarched  all 
Thursday  (October  24th)  night ;  briefly  rested  Friday  morn 
ing,  then  pushed  on  and  were  before  Springfield  at  three  P.  M. 
on  the  25th — the  fifty-one  miles  having  been  accomplished  in 
eighteen  hours. 

Eight  miles  from  Springfield  five  mounted  rebels  were 
caught ;  a  sixth  escaped  and  gave  the  alarm  to  the  forces  in 
the  town,  whose  strength,  Zagonyi  learned  from  a  Union 
farmer,  was  fully  two  thousand  strong.  Nothing  was  left  but 
a  retreat  or  bold  dash.  Zagonyi  did  not  hesitate.  His  men 
responded  to  his  own  spirit  fully,  and  were  eager  for  the 
adventure,  let  it  result  as  it  would.  Major  White  was  so  ill 
from  over  work  that,  at  Zagonyi's  entreaty,  he  remained  at  a 
farm-house  for  a  brief  rest.  The  Union  farmer  offered  to  pilot 
the  Body  Guard  around  to  the  Mount  Yernon  approach  on  the 
West — thus  hoping  to  effect  a  surprise  in  that  direction,  as  the 
ene*my  was,  doubtless,  aligned  to  receive  the  assault  on  the 
Bolivar  road,  on  the  North.  Of  this  detour  White  knew  no 
thing,  and  after  his  rest  he  pushed  on  with  his  guard  of  five 
men  and  a  Lieutenant,  to  overtake  his  troops.  He  travelled 
up  to  the  very  outskirts  of  the  town,  and  yet  did  not  come  up 
to  his  men.  Supposing  them  in  possession  of  the  place,  he 
kept  on  and  soon  found  himself  in  a  rebel  camp — a  prisoner. 
He  was  immediately  surrounded  by  a  crew  of  savages,  who  at 
once  resolved  to  have  his  life.  Captain  Wroton,  a  rebel  offi 
cer,  only  saved  the  Federal  officer  and  his  men  from  murder 
by  swearing  to  protect  them  with  his  life.  The  blood-thirsty 


OF     THE     WAR.  311 

wretches  were  only  kept  at  bay  by  the  constant  presence  of 
Wroton. 

We  may  quote  the  particulars  of  the  charge  as  given  by 
Major  Dorsheimer  in  his  most  admirable  papers  on  Fremont's 
Campaign,  before  referred  to,  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly: 

The  foe  were  advised  of  the  intended  attack.  When  Major  Wright 
was  brought  into  their  camp,  they  were  preparing  to  defend  their  posi 
tion.  As  appears  from  the  confession  of  prisoners,  they  had  twenty-two 
hundred  men,  of  whom  four  hundred  were  cavalry,  the  rest  being  in 
fantry,  armed  with  shot  guns,  American  rifles,  and  revolvers.  Twelve 
hundred  of  their  foot  were  posted  along  the  edge  of  the  wood  upon  the 
crest  of  the  hill.  The  cavalry  was  Rationed  upon  the  extreme  left,  on 
top  of  a  spur  of  the  hill,  and  in  front  of  a  patch  of  timber.  Sharp 
shooters  were  concealed  behind  the  trees  close  to  the  fence  along-side 
the  lane,  and  a  small  number  in  some  underbrush  near  the  foot  of  the 
hill.  Another  detachment  guarded  their  train,  holcting  possession  of 
the  county  fair-ground,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  high  board-fence. 

This  position  was  unassailable  by  cavalry  from  the  road,  the  only 
point  of  attack  being  down  the  lane  on  the  right ;  and  the  enemy  were 
so  disposed  as  to  command  this  approach  perfectly.  The  lane  was  a 
blind  one,  being  closed,  after  passing  the  brook,  by  fences  and  ploughed 
land  :  it  was  in  fact  a  cul-de-sac.  If  the  infantry  should  stand,  nothing 
could  save  the  rash  assailants.  There  are  horsemen  sufficient  to  sweep 
the  little  band  before  them,  as  helplessly  as  the  withered  forest-leaves 
in  the  grasp  of  the  autumn  winds ;  there  are  deadly  marksmen  lying 
behind  the  trees  upon  the  heights  and  lurking  in  the  long  grass  upon 
the  lowlands ;  while  a  long  line  of  foot  stand  upon  the  summit  of  the 
slope,  who,  only  stepping  a  few  paces  back  into  the  forest,  may  defy  the 
boldest  riders.  Yet,  down  this  narrow  lane,  leading  into  the  very  jaws 
of  death,  came  the  three  hundred. 

On  the  prairie,  at  the  edge  of  the  wroodland  in  which  he  knew  his 
wily  foe  lay.  hidden,  Zagonyi  halted  his  command.  He  spurred  along 
the  line.  With  eager  glance  he  scanned  each  horse  and  rider.  To  his 
officers  he  gave  the  simple  order,  "  Follow  me!  do  as  I  do  !"  and  then, 
drawing  up  in  front  of  his  men,  with  a  voice  tremulous  and  shrill  with 
emotion,  he  spoke — 

"  Fellow-soldiers,  comrades,  brothers  !  '  This  is  your  first  battle.  For 
our  three  hundred,  the  enemy  are  two  thousand.  If  any  of  you  are 
sick,  or  tired  by  the  long  march,  or  if  any  think  the  number  is  too 
great,  now  is  the  time  to  turn  back."  He  paused — no  one  was  sick  or 
tired.  "  We  must  not  retreat.  Our  honor,  the  honor  of  our  General 
and  our  country,  tell  us  to  go  on.  I  will  lead  you.  We  have  been 


312  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

called  holiday  soldiers  for  the  pavements  of  St.  Louis  ;  to-day  we  will 
show  that  we  are  soldiers  for  the  battle.  Your  watchword  shall  be — 
'  Tlie  Union  and  Fremont  /'  Draw  saber !  By  the  right  flank—quick 
trot — march  !' 

Bright  swords  flashed  in  the  sunshine,  a  passionate  shout  burst  from 
every  lip,  and  with  one  accord,  the  trot  passing  into  a  gallop,  the  com 
pact  column  swept  on  in  its  deadly  purpose.  Most  of  them  were  boys. 
A  few  weeks  before  they  had  left  their  homes.  Those  who  were  cool 
enough  to  note  it  say  that  ruddy  cheeks  grew  pale,  and  fiery  eyes  were 
dimmed  with  tears.  Who  shall  tell  what  thoughts,  what  visions  of 
peaceful  cottages  nestling  among  the  groves  of  Kentucky,  or  shining 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Illinois — what  sad  recollections  of 
tearful  farewells,  of  tender,  loving  fa^es,  filled  their  minds  during  those 
fearful  moments  of  suspense  ?  No  word  wras  spoken.  "With  lips  com 
pressed,  firmly  clenching  their  sword-hilts,  with  quick  tramp  of  hoofs 
and  clang  of  steel,  honor  leading  and  glory  awaiting  them,  the  young 
soldiers  flew  forward,  each  brave  rider  and  each  straining  steed  mem 
bers  of  one  huge  creature,  enormous,  terrible,  irresistible. 
"  '  T  were  worth  ten  years  of  peaceful  life, 
One  glance  at  their  array." 

They  pass  the  fair-ground.  They  are  at  the  corner  of  the  lane  where 
the  wood  begins.  It  runs  close  to  the  fence  on  their  left  for  a  hundred 
yards,  and  beyond  it  they  see  white  tents  gleaming.  They  are  half-way 
past  the  forest,  when,  sharp  and  loud,  a  volley  of  musketry  bursts  upon 
the  head  of  the  column ;  horses  stagger,  riders  reel  and  fall,  but  the 
troop  presses  forward  undismayed.  The  farther  corner  of  the  wood  is 
reached,  and  Zagonyi  beholds  the  terrible  array.  Amazed,  he  involun 
tarily  checks  his  .horse.  The  Rebels  are  not  surprised.  There  to  his 
left  they  stand  crowning  the  height,  foot  and  horse  ready  to  engulpli 
him,  if  he  shall  be  rash  enough  to  goon.  The  road  he  is  following 
declines  rapidly.  There  is  but  one  thing  to  do — run  the  gauntlet,  gain 
the  cover  of  the  hill,  and  charge  up  the  steep.  These  thoughts  pass 
quicker  than  they  can  be  told.x  He  waves  his  saber  over  his  head,  and 
shouting,  "  Forward !  follow  me  1  quick  trot !  gallop  1"  he  dashes  head 
long  down  the  stony  road.  The  first  company,  and  most  of  the  second 
follow.  From  the  left  a  thousand  muzzles  belch  forth  a  hissing  flood 
of  bullets ;  the  poor  fellows  clutch  wildly  at  the  air  and  fall  from  their 
saddles,  and  maddened  horses  throw  themselves  against  the  fenoes. 
Their  speed  is  not  for  an  instant  checked  ;  farther  down  the  hill  they 
fly,  like  wasps  driven  by  the  leaden  storm.  Sharp  volleys  pour  out  of 
the  underbrush  at  the  left,  clearing  wide  gaps  through  their  ranks. 
They  leap  the  brook,  take  down  the  fence,  and  draw  up  under  shelter 
of  the  hill.  Zagonyi  looks  around  him,  and  to  his  horror  sees  that  only 


OF     THE     WAR.  313 

a  fourth  of  his  men  are  with  him.  He  cries,  "  They  do  not  come  —  we 
are  lost !"  and  frantically  waves  his  saber. 

He  has  not  long  to  wait.  The  delay  of  the  rest  of  the  Guard  was  not 
from  hesitation.  When  Captain  Foley  reached  the  lower  corner  of  the 
wood  and  saw  the  enemy's  line,  he  thought  a  flank  attack  might  be  ad 
vantageously  made.  He  ordered  some  men  to  dismount  and  take  down 
the  fence.  This  was  done  under  a  severe  fire.  Several  men  fell,  and 
he  found  the  wood  so  dense  that  it  could  not  be  penetrated.  Looking 
down  the  hill,  he  saw  the  flash  of  Zagonyi's  saber,  and  at  once  gave  the 
order,  "  Forward  !"  At  the  same  time,  Lieutenant  Kennedy,  a  stalwart 
Keutuckian,  shouted,  "  Come  on,  boys  !  remember  Old  Kentucky  !" 
and  the  third  company  of  the  Guard,  fire  on  every  side  of  them — from 
behind  trees,  from  under  the  fences — with  thundering  strides  and  loud 
cheers,  poured  down  the  slope  and  rushed  to  the  side  of  Zagonyi.  They 
have  lost  seventy  dead  and  wounded  men,  and  the  carcasses  of  horses 
are  strewn  along  the  lane;  Kennedy  is  wounded  in  the  arm.  and  lies 
upon  the  stones,  his  faithful  charger  standing  motionless  beside  him. 
Lieutenant  Goff  received  a  wound  in  the  thigh  ;  he  kept  his  seat,  and 
cried  out,  "  The  devils  have  hit  me,  but  I  will  give  it  to  them  yet !" 

The  remnant  of  the  Guard  are  now  in  the  field  under  the  hill,  and 
from  the  shape  of  the  ground  the  Rebel  fire  sweeps  with  the  roar  of  a 
whirlwind  over  their  heads.  Here  we  will  leave  them  for  a  moment, 
and  trace  the  fortunes  of  the  Prairie  Scouts. 

Yfhen  Foley  brought  his  troop  to  a  halt,  Captain  Fairbanks,  at  the 
head  of  the  first  company  of  Scouts,  was  at  the  point  where  the  first 
volley  of  musketry  had  been  received.  The  narrow  lane  was  crowded 
by  a  dense  mass  of  struggling  horses,  and  filled  with  the  tumult  of 
battle.  Captain  Fairbanks  says,  and  he  is  corroborated  by  several  of 
his  men  who  were  near,  that  at  this  moment  an  officer  of  the  Guard 
rode  up  to  him  and  said,  "  They  are  flying ;  take  your  men  down  that 
lane  and  cut  off  their  retreat" — pointing  to  the  lane  at  the  left.  Captain 
Fairbanks  was  not  able  to  identify  the  person  who  gave  this  order.  It 
certainly  did  not  come  from  Zagonyi,  who  was  several  hundred  yards 
farther  on.  Captain  Fairbanks  executed  the  order,  followed  by  the 
second  company  of  Prairie  Scouts,  under  Captain  Kehoe.  When  this 
movement  was  made,  Captain  Naughton,  with  the  Third  Irish  dragoons, 
had  not  reached  the  corner  of  the  lane.  He  came  up  at  a  gallop,  and 
was  about  to  follow  Fairbanks,  when  he  saw  a  Guardsman  who  pointed 
in  the  direction  in  which  Zagonyi  had  gone.  He  took  this  for  an  order, 
and  obeyed  it.  When  he  reached  the  gap  in  the  fence,  made  by  Foley, 
not  seeing  anything  of  the  Guard,  he  supposed  they  had  passed  through 
at  that  place,  and  gallantly  attempted  to  follow-.  Thirteen  men  fell  in 
a  few  minutes.  He  was  shot  in  the  arm  and  dismounted.  Lieutenant 

40  2s 


314  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Connolly  spurred  into  the  underbrush  and  received  two  balls  through 
the  lungs  and  one  in  the  left  shoulder.  The  dragoons,  at  the  outset 
not  more  than  fifty  strong,  were  broken,  and,  dispirited  by  the  loss  of 
their  officers,  retired.  A  sergeant  rallied  a  few  and  brought  thorn  up 
to  the  gap  again,  and  they  were  again  driven  back.  Five  of  the  boldest 
passed  down  the  hill,  joined  Zagonyi,  and  were  conspicuous  for  their 
valor  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  Fairbanks  and  Kelioe,  having  gained 
the  rear  and  left  of  the  enemy's  position,  made  two  or  three  assaults 
upon  detached  parties  of  the  foe,  but  did  not  join  in  the  main  attack. 

I  now  return  to  the  Guard.  It  is  forming  under  the  shelter  of  the 
hill.  In  front,  with  a  gentle  inclination,  rises  a  grassy  slope  broken  by 
occasional  tree-stumps.  A  line  of  fire  upon  the  summit  marks  the  po 
sition  of  the  rebel  infantry,  and  nearer 'and  on  the  top  of  a  lower  emi 
nence  to  the  right  stand  their  horse.  Up  to  this  time  no  Guardsman 
has  struck  a  blow,  but  blue  coats  and  bay  horses  lie  thick  along  the 
bloody  lane.  Their  time  has  come.  Lieutenant  Maythenyi  with  thirty 
men  is  ordered  to  attack  the  cavalry.  With  sabres  flashing  over  their 
heads,  the  little  band  of  heroes  spring  towards  their  tremendous  foe. 
Right  upon  the  centre  they  charge.  The  dense  mass  opens,  the  blue 
coats  force  their  way  in,  and  the  whole  rebel  squadron  scatter  in  dis 
graceful  flight  through  'the  corn-fields  in  the  rear.  The  bays  follow 
them  sabring  the  fugitives.  Days  after,  the  enemy's  horses  lay  thick 
among  the  uncut  corn. 

Zagonyi  holds  his  main  body  until  Maythenyi  disappears  in  the  cloud 
of  rebel  cavalry;  then  his  voice  rises  through  the  air:  "In  open  order 
— charge !  "  The  line  opens  out  to  give  play  to  their  sword-arm. 
Steeds  respond  to  the  ardor  of  their  riders,  and  quick  as  thought,  with 
thrilling  cheers,  the  noble  hearts  rush  into  the  leaden  torrent  which 
pours  down  the  incline.  With  unabated  fire  the  gallant  fellows  press 
through.  Their  fierce  onset  is  not  even  checked.  The  foe  do  not  wait 
for  them — they  waver,  break  and  fly.  The  Guardsmen  spur  into  the 
midst  of  the  rout,  and  their  fast-falling  swords  work  a  terrible  revenge. 
Some  of  the  boldest  of  the  Southrons  retreat  into  the  woods,  and  con 
tinue  a  murderous  fire  from  behind  trees  and  thickets.  Seven  Guard 
horses  fall  upon  a  space  not  more  than  twenty  feet  square.  As  his 
steed  sinks  under  him,  one  of  the  officers  is  caught  around  the  shoulders 
by  a  grape-vine,  and  hangs  dangling  in  the  air  until  he  is  cut  down  by 
his  friends. 

The  rebel  foot  are  flying  in  furious  haste  from  the  field.  Some  take 
refuge  in  the  fair-ground,  some  hurry  into  the  corn-fields,  but  the  great 
er  part  run  along  the  edge  of  the  wood,  swarm  over  the  fence  into  the 
road,  and  hasten  to  the  village.  The  Guardsmen  follow.  Zagonyi 
leads  them.  Over  the  loudest  roar  of  battle  rings  his  clarion  voice— 


OF     THE     WAK.  315 

"  Come  on,  Old  Kentuck  !  I'm  with  you  !  "  And  the  flash  of  his  sword- 
blade  tells  his  men  where  to  go.  As  he  approaches  a  barn,  a  man  steps 
from  behind  the  door  and  lowers  his  rifle  ;  but  before  it  has  reached  a 
level,  Zagonyi's  sabre-point  descends  upon  his  head,  and  his  life-blood 
leaps  to  the  very  top  of  the  huge  barn-door. 

The  conflict  now  raged  through  the  village — in  the  public  square,  and 
along  the  streets.  Up  and  down  the  Guards  ride  in  squads  of  three  or 
four,  and  wherever  they  see  a  group  of  the  enemy,  charge  upon  and 
scatter  them.  It  is  hand  to  hand.  No  one  but  has  a  share  in  the  fray. 

There  was  at  least  one  soldier  in  the  Southern  ranks.  A  young  officer, 
superbly  mounted,  charges  alone  upon  a  large  body  of  the  Guard.  He 
passes  through  the  line  unscathed,  killing  one  man.  He  wheels,  charges 
back,  and  again  breaks  through,  killing  another  man.  A  third  time  he 
rushes  upon  the  Federal  line,  a  score  of  sabre-points  confront  him,  a 
cloud  of  bullets  fly  around  him,  but  he  pushes  on  until  he  reaches  Za- 
gonyi — he  presses  his  pistol  so  close  to  the  Major's  side,  that  he  feels  it 
and  draws  convulsively  back,  the  bullet  passes  through  the  front  of 
Zagonyi's  coat,  who  at  the  instant  runs  the  daring  rebel  through  the 
body ;  he  falls,  and  the  men,  thinking  their  commander  hurt,  kill  him 
with  a  dozen  wounds. 

"  He  was  a  brave  man,"  said  Zagonyi  afterwards,  "  and  I  did  wish  to 
make  him  prisoner." 

Meanwhile  it  has  grown  dark.  The  foe  have  left  the  village  and  the 
battle  has  ceased.  The  assembly  is  sounded,  and  the  Guard  gathers  in 
the  Plaza.  Not  more  than  eighty  mounted  men  appear :  the  rest  are 
killed,  wounded,  or  unhorsed.  At  this  time  one  of  the  most  charac 
teristic  incidents  of  the  affair  took  place. 

Just  before  the  charge,  Zagonyi  directed  one  of  his  buglers,  a  French 
man,  to  sound  a  signal.  The  bugler  did  not  seem  to  pay  any  attention 
to  the  order,  but  darted  off  with  Lieutenant  Maythenyi.  A  few  moments 
afterwards  he  was  observed  in  another  part  of  the  field  vigorously  pur 
suing  the  flying  infantry.  His  active  form  was  always  seen  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight.  When  the  line  was  formed  in  the  Plaza,  Zagonyi 
noticed  the  bugler,  and  approaching  him  said :  "In  the  midst  of  battle 
you  disobeyed  my  order.  You  are  unworthy  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Guard.  I  dismiss  you."  The  bugler  showed  his  bugle  to  his  indignant 
commander — the  mouth-piece  of  the  instrument  was  shot  away.  lie 
said :  "  The  mouth  was  shoot  off.  I  could  not  bugle  viz  mon  bugle, 
and  so  I  bugle  viz  nion  pistol  and  sabre."  It  is  unnecessary  to  add,  the 
brave  Frenchman  was  not  dismissed. 

I  must  not  forget  to  mention  Sergeant  Hunter,  of  the  Kentucky  com 
pany.  His  soldierly  figure  never  failed  to  attract  the  eye  in  the  ranks 
of  the  Guard.  He  had  served  in  the  regular  cavalry,  and  the  Body 


316  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Guard  had  profited  greatly  from  his  skill  as  a  drill-master.  He  lost 
three  horses  in  the  fight.  As  soon  as  one  was  killed,  he  caught  another 
from  -the  rebels:  the  third  horse  taken  by  him  in  this  way  he  rode  into 
St.  Louis. 

The  Sergeant  slew  five  men.  "  I  won't  speak  of  those  I  shot,"  said 
he — "another  may  have  hit  them;  but  those  I  touched  with  my  sabre  I 
am  sure  of,  because  I  felt  them." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  charge,  he  came  to  the  extreme  right  and  took 
position  next  to  Zagonyi,  whom  he  followed  closely  through  the  battle. 
The  Major,  seeing  him,  said  : 

"Why  are  you  here,  Sergeant  Hunter?  Your  place  is  with  your 
company  on  the  left."  "  I  kind  o'wanted  to  be  in  the  front,"  was  the 
answer. 

*'  What  could  I  say  to  such  a  man  ?"  exclaimed  Zagonyi,  speaking  of 
the  matter  afterwards. 

There  was  hardly  a  horse  or  rider  among  the  survivors  that  did  not 
bring  away  some  mark  of  the  fray.  I  saw  one  animal  with  no  less  than 
seven  wounds — none  of  them  serious.  Scabbards  were  bent,  clothes 
and  caps  pierced,  pistols  injured.  I  saw  one  pistol  from  which  the  sight 
had  been  cut  as  neatly  as  it  could  have  been  done  by  machinery.  A 
piece  of  board  a  few  inches  long  was  cut  from  a  fence  on  the  field,  in 
•which  there  were  thirty-one  shot-holes. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock.  The  wounded  had  been  carried  to  the 
hospital.  The  dismounted  troopers  were  placed  in  charge  of  them — in 
the  double  capacity  of  nurses  and  guards.  Zagonyi  expected  the  foe  to 
return  every  minute.  It  seemed  like  madness  to  try  and  hold  the  town 
with  his  small  force,  exhausted  by  the  long  march  and  desperate  fight. 
He  therefore  left  Springfield,  and  retired  before  morning  twenty-five 
miles  on  the  Bolivar  road. 

Captain  Fairbanks  did  not  see  his  commander  after  leaving  the  column 
in  the  lane,  at  the  commencement  of  the  engagement.  About  dusk  he 
repaired  to  the  prairie,  and  remained  there  within  a  mile  of  the  village 
until  midnight,  when  he  followed  Zagonyi,  rejoining  him  in  the  morn 
ing. 

I  will  now  return  to  Major  White.  During  the  conflict  upon  the  hill, 
he  was  in  the  forest  near  the  front  of  the  rebel  line.  Here  his  horse 
was  shot  under  him.  Captain  Wroton  kept  careful  watch  over  him. 
When  the  flight  began  he  hurried  White  away,  and,  accompanied  by 
a  squad  of  eleven  men,  took  him  ten  miles  into  the  country.  They  stop 
ped  at  a  farm-house  for  the  night.  White  discovered  that  their  host 
was  a  Union  man.  His  parole  having  expired,  he  took  advantage  of  the 
momentary  absence  of  his  captor  to  speak  to  the  farmer,  telling  him  who 
he  was,  and  asking  him  to  send  for  assistance.  The  countryman  mount- 


OF    THE     WAR.  317 

ed  his  son  upon  his  swiftest  horse,  and  sent  him  for  succor.  The  party 
lay  down  by  the  fire,  White  being  placed  in  the  midst.  The  rebels  were 
soon  asleep,  but  there  was  no  sleep  for  the  Major.  He  listened  anxious 
ly  for  the  footsteps  of  his  rescuers.  After  long  weary  hours,  he  heard 
the  tramp  of  horses.  He  arose,  and  walking  on  tiptoe,  cautiously  step 
ping  over  his  sleeping  guard,  he  reached  the  door  and  silently  unfasten 
ed  it.  The  Union  men  rushed  into  the  room  and  took  the  astonished 
Wroton  and  his  followers  prisoners.  At  daybreak  White  rode  into  Spring 
field  at  the  head  of  his  captives  and  a  motley  band  of  Home  Guard.  He 
found  the  Federals  still  in  possession  of  the  place.  As  the  officer  of 
highest  rank,  he  took  command.  His  garrison  consisted  of  twenty- four 
men.  He  stationed  twenty-two  of  them  as  pickets  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  village,  and  held  the  other  two  as  a  reserve.  At  noon  the  enemy 
sent  a  flag  of  truce,  and  asked  permission  to  bury  their  dead.  Major 
White  received  the  flag  with  proper  ceremony,  but  said  that  General 
Siegel  was  in  command  and  the  request  would  have  to  be  referred  to  him. 
Siegel  was  then  forty  miles  away.  In  a  short  time  a  written  communi 
cation  purporting  to  come  from  General  Siegel,  saying  that  the  rebels 
might  send  a  party  under  certain  restrictions  to  bury  their  dead:  White 
drew  in  some  of  his  pickets,  stationed  them  about  the  field,  and  under 
their  surveillance  the  Southern  dead  were  buried. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy,  as  reported  by  some  of  tbeir  working  party,  was 
one  hundred  and  sixteen  killed.  The  number  of  wounded  could  not  be 
ascertained.  After  the  conflict  had  drifted  away  from  the  hill-side, 
some  of  the  foe  had  returned  to  the  field,  taken  away  their  wounded, 
and  robbed  our  dead.  The  loss  of  the  Guard  was  fifty-three  out  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-eight  actually  engaged,  twelve  men  having  been  left 
by  Zogonyi  in  charge  of  his  train.  The  Prairie  Scouts  reported  a  loss  of 
thirty  one  out  of  one  hundred  and  thirty :  half  of  these  belonged  to 
the  Irish  Dragoons.  In  a  neighboring  field  an  Irishman  was  found  stark 
and  stiff,  still  clinging  to  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  which  was  thrust 
through  the  body  of  a  rebel  who  lay  beside  him.  Within  a  few  feet  a 
second  rebel  lay,  shot  through  the  head. 

This  was  the  first  and  the  last  exploit  of  the  Guard.  They 
returned,  soon  after,  to  St.  Louis,  along  with,  Fremont  Their 
rations  and  forage  were  denied  them  and  they  were  disbanded 
—ashamed  of  their  soiled  and  ragged  garments,  and  humiliated 
at  their  usage.  Such  are  the  fortunes  of  those  at  the  mercy 
of  opposing  factions  of  the  same  service. 


XXXI 


BOMBARDMENT    OF    THE    PORT    ROYAL    FORTS. 

SEVENTY  vessels  sailed  and  steamed  out  of  Hampton  Eoads, 
on  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  October  29th,  stretching  out  to 
sea,  then  heading  for  the  South.  It  was  a  fleet  of  conquest, 
bearing  one  of  the  most  superb  armaments  that  ever  floated  in 
American  waters.  Frigates,  sloops-of-war,  and  gunboats  were 
mixed  in  with  stately  ocean  steamers  ;  while  these  had  in  tow 
nemerous  small  craft — all  loaded  to  their  fullest  capacity  with 
war  materiel.  Their  destination  was  a  mystery,  even  to  those 
on  board,  except  to  those  in  whose  hands  the  direction  of  that 
vast  expedition  was  entrusted.  The  country  speculated  in 
vain  as  to  whither  it  would  move — Charleston,  Savannah,  New 
Orleans,  Beaufort  (S.C.,)  Bull's  Bay — all  being  named  as  pro 
bable  points  of  attack.  This  suspense  was  not  cleared  up 
until  November  10th,  when  it  became  known,  through  rebel 
sources,  that  the  Port  Koyal  forts  were  ours. 

The  particulars  of  the  bombardment  of  these  forts  are  very 
interesting.  It  was  one  of  the  most  imposing  spectacles  of  the 
war — noi  so  sublimely  wild  as  the  bombardment  of  the  New 
Orleans  forts,  but  very  novel  and  magnificent  as  a  naval 
demonstration. 

The  vessels  of  the  squadron  arrived  off  Kibben  Head  (Port 
Koyal  Harbor  entrance)  during  the  night  of  Sunday  and  the 
day  of  Monday,  November  3d  and  4th.  The  gunboats  imme 
diately  commenced  their  soundings,  to  verify  their  old  surveys 
of  the  channel.  The  rebel  fleet,  of  five  small  vessels,  under 
command  of  Commodore  Tatnall,  late  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  put  out  from  one  of  the  estuaries,  and  engaged  the 


OF     THE     WAR.  319 

reconoitering  and  surveying  boats.  After  a  sharp  passage  the 
rebels  retired — evidently  impressed  with  the  smallness  of  his 
means  to  cope  with  such  antagonists.  The  forts  on  Hilton 
Head  and  Bay  Point  kept  silence,  nor  did  any  land  batteries 
open,  to  betray  their  whereabouts  to  the  fleet. 

To  draw  their  fire,  and  determine  the  order  of  attack,  the 
gunboat  Mercury,  under  Captain  Oilman,  chief  of  the  Engineer 
Corps,  was  dispatched  "  along  shore"  to  reconnoitre.  Several 
of  the  vessels  of  war  during  the  day  dropt  so  far  into  the  har 
bor,  as  to  tempt  the  enemy  to  "  show  his  teeth,"  which  he  did 
in  a  sharp  manner,  betraying  a  heavy  battery  on  Hilton  Head 
(afterwards  discovered  to  be  a  well-appointed  fort,)  and  two 
batteries  on  the  opposite  shores.  The  Union  gunboats  and  the 
batteries  kept  up  a  fire  for  about  two  hours,  when  Commodore 
Dupont  (in  command  of  the  Naval  force  of  the  expedition) 
signalled  the  boats  out  of  the  fight 

Wednesday  morning  was  fixed  upon  as  the  moment  for  the 
reduction  of  the  batteries  ;  but,  the  flag-ship,  Wabash,  grounded 
on  Fishing  Eip  shoal,  and  did  not  get  off  until  too  late  for 
tide-flow,  which  her  heavy  draught  required,  in  order  safely  to 
clear  the  bar  and  shoals. 

Thursday  (November  7th)  was  the  momentous  day.  The 
morning  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Southern  latitudes. 
A  gentle  breeze  broke  the  clear  water's  face  into  ripples,  as  if 
the  Naiades  were  smiling  at  the  tragedy  which  portended. 
Butterflies  fluttered  through  the  air,  and  the  songs  of  Southern 
birds  broke  the  stillness  with  their  waves  of  melody.  The 
vessels  of  war  reposed  in  quiet  just  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
enemy's  guns,  while  beyond  swung  the  transports  at  anchor, 
containing  fifteen  thousand  troops,  as  an  audience,  to  witness 
in  safety  the  sublime  combat  of  artillery. 

At  half  past  nine  the  vessels  began  to  move  into  battle — in 
most  novel  and  exciting  disposition.  The  order  as  arranged 
was  to  sail  in  singly — the  flag-ship  Wabash  first ;  each  vessel 
to  follow  in  its  allotted  succession,  Passing  slowly  up  stream, 
the  starboard  guns  were  to  pour  their  fire  into  the  two  bat 
teries  (or  forts)  on  the  Bay  Point  side — passing  down  stream, 


820  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

on  the  return,  the  battery  (or  fort)  on  Hilton  Head,  was  to 
receive  the  fire.  The  vessels,  thus  sailing  in  an  ellipse,  passed 
in  and  out  of  range  of  the  enemy's  stationary  guns,  dealing, 
as  they  passed  in  close  range,  a  fearful  shower  of  shot  ajid 
shell 

The  first  shot  was  fired  by  the  Hilton  Head  fortification 
(Fort  Walker,)  as  the  Wabash  steamed  within  range,  at  twenty- 
six  minutes  past  nine,  A.  M.  Three  shots  were  thus  fired. 
Then  the  Bay  Point  battery  opened,  when  the  Wabash  responded 
with  a  terrific  broadside.  Her  batteries  consisted  of  twenty- 
six  guns  to  the  side,  and  a  heavy  pivot-gun  fore  and  aft. 
These  literally  rained  their  iron  shower  on  tlhe  lesser  rebel  fort. 
No  attention  was  paid  to  Fort  Walker.  The  flag-ship  steamed 
slowly  up  stream,  keeping  the  enemy  under  fire  about  twenty 
minutes,  when  she  winded  the  line,  turning  southward,  and, 
steaming  down  stream,  gave  Fort  Walker  her  entire  attention, 
passing  within  eight  hundred  yards  of  the  Fort,  which  showed 
itself  to  be  a  very  powerful  work,  mounting  very  heavy  and 
'  superior  guns,  whose  fire  proved  them  to  be  not  only  improved 
ordnance,  but  well  served. 

The  other  vessels  followed  the  same  order  of  action.  The 
Susquehanna,  Pawnee,  Seminole,  Bienville,  Pocahontas,  Mohican, 
Augusta,  and  the  gunboats  Ottawa,  Seneca,  Unadilla,  Pembina, 
and  Vandalia  joined  in  the  fray,  firing  shell  with  great  rapidity 
and  precision,  and  making  the  battery  vocal  with  their  prac 
tice.  The  rebels  fought  their  guns  with  a  desperate  coolness, 
and  fired  with  a  rapidity  really  surprising  under  the  circum 
stances.  In  Fort  Walker,  against  which  the  Federals  directed 
their  chief  efforts — the  Confederate  gunners  were  stripped  to 
the 'waist,  and  worked  like  furies.  Their  officer  in  command, 
Brigadier-General  Drayton,  was  efficient,  cool,  and  stubborn, 
but  what  could  withstand  that  fearful  hail  ? 

Around  the  course  the  stately  messengers  of  destruction 
moved,  never  faltering,  never  failing  to  come  up  to  the  work 
with  exhaustless  fury.  The  smaller  gunboats  obtained  a  posi 
tion  close  into  shore  where  the  fort  guns  were  enfiladed,  while 
the  Bienvilk  sailed  in,  at  the  second  round,  close  to  the  fort, 


OF     THE     WAR.  321 

and  gave  her  tremendous  guns  with  such  fearful  effect  that 
the  enemy's  best  guns  were  soon  silenced,  but  not  until  the 
vessel  had  been  well  spotted  with  the  enemy's  shot.  The 
Wabash  also  came  to  a  stand,  at  the  third  round,  about  six 
hundred  yards  from  the  fort.  That  moment  decided  the  day. 
No  human  power  could  face  such  a  death-storm,  and  the  enemy 
suddenly  fled,  taking  to  the  woods  in  the  rear  with  such  haste 
as  allowed  no  time  for  any  to  gather  up  even  the  most  prized 
of  their  goods. 

The  firing  ceased  at  a  few  minutes  past  two  P.  M.- — the  bat 
tle  having  thus  been  waged  with  stubborn  fierceness  for  over 
four  hours.  Discovering  that  the  enemy  had  probably  evac 
uated,  Commander  Eodgers — aid  to  Flag  Officer  Dupont — went 
ashore  in  the  Mercury  to  find  the  enemy  really  gone.  With 
his  own  hands  he  hauled  down  the  rebel  colors  and  flung  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  to  the  breeze.  Then  followed  such  a  shout 
from  the  watching  thousands  as  must  have  made  appalling 
music  for  the  Southern  heart.  Fort  Walker  had  fallen  and 
South  Carolina  was  "  invaded."  The  "  dastard  Yankee"  had 
opened  a  way  into  her  very  vitals. 

A  reporter  wrote,   of   the   effects  of   the  Federal  bom 
bardment  : 

"  The  effects  of  our  fire  were  to  be  seen  on  every  hand  in  the  work. 
On  the  line  along  the  front,  three  guns  were  dismounted  by  the  enfi 
lading  fire  of  our  ships.  One  carriage  had  been  struck  by  a  large  shell 
and  shivered  to  pieces,  dismounting  the  heavy  gun  mounted  upon  it, 
and  sending  the  splinters  flying  in  all  directions  with  terrific  force. 
Between  the  gun  and  the  foot  of  the  parapet  was  a  large  pool  of  blood, 
mingled  with  brains,  fragments  of  skull  and  pieces  of  flesh,  evidently 
from  the  face,  as  portions  of  whiskers  still  clung  to  it.  This  shot  must 
have  done  horrible  execution,  as  other  portions  of  human  beings  were 
'ound  all  about  it.  Another  carriage  to  the  right  was  broken  to  pieces, 
and  the  guns  on  the  water  fronts  were  rendered  useless  by  the  enfilading 
fir6  from  the  gunboats  on  the  left  flank.  Their  scorching  fire  of  shell, 
which  swept  with  resistless  fury  and  deadly  effect  across  this  long 
water  pond,  where  the  enemy  had  placed  their  heaviest  metal,  en  bar- 
lette,  without  taking  the  precaution  to  place  traverses  between  the  guns, 
did  as  much  as  anything  to  drive  the  rebels  from  their  works,  in  the 
hurried  manner  I  have  before  described.  The  works  were  ploughed 
41 


322  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

up  by  the  shot  and  shell  so  badly  as  to  make  immediate  repairs 
necessary. 

"  All  the  houses  and  many  of  the  tents  about  the  work  were  perfo 
rated  and  torn  by  flying  shell,  and  hardly  a  light  of  glass  could  be 
found  intact,  in  any  building  where  a  shell  exploded.  The  trees  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  object  of  our  fire,  showed  marks  of  heavy  visitations. 
Everything,  indeed,  bore  the  marks  of  ruin.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the 
rebels  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  I  can,  and  do,  cheerfully  bear  testimony 
to  the  gallant  and  courageous  manner  in  which  the  rebels  maintained 
their  position  under  a  hot  fire,  and  fought  at  their  guns  when  many 
would  have  fled." 

Another  correspondent  wrote  : 

"  The  road  the  rebels  took  was  strewn  for  miles  with  muskets,  knap 
sacks,  blankets,  cartridge-boxes  and  other  valuables  that  they  had 
thrown  away  in  their  flight.  They  had  retreated  across  the  island  to 
Seabrook,  a  distance  of  half  a  dozen  miles,  where  they  took  boat  for 
Savannah.  Even  the  wharf  at  Seabrook  was  strewn  with  valuables, 
carried  even  so  far  and  abandoned  at  the  last  moment.  The  troops  who 
were  in  charge  of  this  fort,  and  who  certainly  fought  most  gallantly, 
were  the  Twelfth  regiment  of  South  Carolina  volunteers,  under  Colonel 
Jones,  and  the  Ninth  South  Carolina  volunteers,  commanded  by  Colo 
nel  Hay  wood,  and  a  battalion  of  German  artillery,  under  Colonel  Wage- 
ner.  They  had  in  the  fort  about  1,300  men  in  all — enough  to  serve  all 
the  guns  in  the  most  efficient  manner.  They  had  also  a  field  battery 
with  500  troops  stationed  at  a  point  a  short  distance  above  Hilton  Head, 
where  they  anticipated  our  transports  would  undertake  to  send  troops 
to  attempt  a  flank  movement  for  the  assistance  of  the  navy.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  they  had  400  men.  It  cannot  be  denied  that 
the  resistance  was  as  gallant  as  the  final  panic  was  complete ;  but  the 
hardest  fighting  on  the  rebel  side  was  all  done  by  the  German  artillery, 
they  being  the  last  to  leave  the  fort,  which  they  did  not  do  until  long 
after  the  greater  part  of  the  valiant  Palmetto  *  Chivalry'  had  taken  to 
the  woods  to  save  their  precious  necks. 

"  They  had  spiked  but  one  gun,  a  most  valuable  rifled  cannon,  which 
they  temporarily  disabled  with  a  steel  spike,  which  can  with  difficulty 
be  extracted.  The  other  guns  were,  most  of  them,  columbiads  of  the 
very  largest  size,  one  hundred  and  thirty-pounders,  and  of  the  most  ad 
mirable  finish,  being  the  finest  and  latest  productions  of  the  Tredegar 
Works,  Richmond,  and  fully  equal  to  any  guns  owned  by  the  North. 
There  were  twenty-three  of  these  guns  in  the  fort. 

"  The  fortification  is  of  most  admirable  construction,  evidently  plan 
ned  and  built  under  the  superintendence  of  a  thoroughly  able  engineer, 


OF     THE     WAR.  823 

and  is  one  of  the  strongest  works  of  the  kind  in  the  whole  country. 
Our  losses  were  :  ten  killed ;  twenty-five  wounded." 

As  was  anticipated,  the  fate  of  Fort  Walker  decided  that  of 
the  opposite  fortifications.  The  two  batteries  were  that  night 
abandoned  without  further  struggle,  and  at  daylight  in  the 
morning  the  Stars  and  Stripes  floated  over  both  the  two  points 
and  St.  Philip's  Island.  The  works  there  were  two  well-con 
structed  earth- works,  the  one  on  Bay  Point  mounting  twenty- 
one  heavy  columbiads,  and  the  other  mounting  four  co- 
lumbiads. 

It  was  a  noticeable  fact,  that  the  large  store  of  powder  found 
was  of  the  best  English  make — that  many  of  the  projectiles 
were  of  English  make — that  several  of  the  rifled  guns  were  of 
English  manufacture. 

The  abandoned  fort  and  adjacent  islands  were  immediately 
occupied  by  the  troops  on  the  transports.  The  islands  and 
forts  on  the  north  side  of  the  harbor  were  occupied  Friday 
morning.  In  a  few  days  Beaufort  was  a  Federal  city,  and  the1 
Sea  Islands  around  were  soon  sending  their  treasures  of  cotton 
once  more  to  the  "  outer  world." 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  POBT 
ROYAL  FORTS. 

GENERAL  DRAYTON,  the  rebel  officer  in  command  at  Fort 
Walker,  was  brother  of  Captain  Drayton,  in  command  of  the 
Pocahontas,  gunboat.  The  case  certainly  afforded  a  painful 
verification  of  the  truth  that,  in  the  war,  "  brother  was  arrayed 


324  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

against  brother.  "*  Captain  Steedman,  of  the  Bienvillt,  gunboat, 
was  a  South  Carolinian.  He  fought  his  vessel  with  remark 
able  skill  and  fury,  as  did  also  Captain  Drayton  the  Pocahontas. 

After  the  ships  had  made  one  round,  and  sailed  their  fiery 
circle  once,  the  order  of  battle  was  changed ;  certain  ones  of 
the  gunboats  dropped  oat  of  their  assigned  places,  having  dis 
covered  that  they  could  take  up  a  raking  position  which  would 
enable  them  to  remain  stationary,  and  still  keep  up  a  rapid 
and  galling  fire  on  the  fort.  So,  henceforth,  the  other  attack 
ing  ships  moved  in  a  single  line,  the  Wabash  still  leading. 

Four  of  the  gunboats  ran  into  the  bight  of  the  river,  to  the 
north  of  the  Fort,  where  they  were  enabled  to  keep  up  an 
enfilading  fire,  that  completely  raked  the  entire  fortifications 
of  Fort  Walker,  and  distressed  the  enemy  exceedingly.  These 
gunboats  were  the  Ottawa,  Curlew ',  Seneca,  and  Unadilla.  They 
were  afterward  joined  by  the  Pocahontas. 

Very  many  of  the  shot  from  the  shore  batteries  were  aimed 
high,  especially  at  the  BienviUe,  and  other  steamers  having  the 
walking-beam  of  the  engine  high  above  the  deck,  the  object 
being  to  cripple  the  engine,  and  thus  render  the  vessel  un 
manageable,  so  that  she  might  drift  on  the  shoals  and  become 
an  easy  prey.  In  these  attempts  they  were  not  successful  in 
a  single  instance,  for  not  one  of  our  ships,  save  the  Penguin, 
which  was  immediately  taken  care  of  by  one  of  our  own  boats, 
was  injured  in  her  steam  works,  so  as  to  be  disabled  for  a 
single  instant 

The  rebels  regarded  the  destruction  of  the  fleet  as  certain — - 
their  powerful  guns  being  relied  upon  to  sink  any  hull  which 
should  come  in  their  way.  In  some  of  the  letters  found,  half 
finished,  in  the  officers'  quarters,  the  utter  destruction  of  the 
entire  expedition  was  considered  so  positively  assured,  and 
their  belief  in  the  ability  of  their  batteries  to  put  an  effectual 
quietus  upon  the  pretentious  of  Lincoln's  fleet  was  so  perfect, 
that,  in  one  or  two  of  the  documents,  the  writers  lamented  the 

*  Among  other  cases  cited,  is  that  of  the  sons  of  the  venerable  John 
J.  Crittenden.  One  was  a  Major- General  in  the  rebel  service — the  other 
•waa  Brigadier-General  in  the  Union  army. 


OF    THE    WAR.  325 

necessity  they  should  be  under  of  sending  the  ships  to  the 
bottom,  when  the  Confederates  Were  so  much  in  need  of  ships. 
It  was  taken  for  granted  that  the  tremendous  execution  to  be 
done  by  their  heavy  guns,  would  perforate  the  hulls  of  our 
ships,  and  send  them  instantly  to  the  bottom.  Having  this 
confident  expectation,  the  rebels  looked  eagerly  after  every 
fire  to  see  some  of  our  ships  go  down.  They  especially  con 
centrated  their  guns  on  the  Wabash,  and,  as  the  prisoners 
afterward  informed  our  men,  were  much  surprised  that  she 
persisted  in  remaining  afloat  When  the  ships  had  all  passed 
their  battery  in  safety  for  the  first  time,  had  "  peppered  them 
well,"  and  had  all  escaped  without  apparent  injury,  the  aston 
ishment  was  great,  and  the  universal  impression  began  to 
prevail  that  there  was  some  mistake. 

For  the  second  time  the  fleet  came  steaming  down ;  *for  the 
second  time  the  Federals  poured  in  their  terrible  fire,  dis 
mantling  guns,  shattering  buildings,  and  stretching  in  death 
numbers  of  men  ;  and  for  the  second  time  the  fleet  passed  on 
in  safety,  showing  not  the  slightest  sign  of  any  intention  of 
going  to  the  bottom. 

By  this  time,  a  new  element  began  to  mingle  with  the  feel 
ings  of  the  rebel  garrison.  With  astonishment  and  wonder 
that  they  had  not  yet  sunk  any  of  the  opposing  vessels,  began 
to  mingle  a  large,  a  very  large  proportion,  of  doubt  whether 
they  could  do  it. 

Without  paying  more  attention  to  the  barking  of  the  battery 
at  Fort  Beauregard,  on  Bay  Point,  than  to  pitch  them  an  occa 
sional  shot,  merely  to  let  them  know  they  were  not  forgotten, 
for  the  third  time  the  ships  rounded  their  circular  track,  and 
came  slowly  down  to  pay  their  respects  again.  Again  was 
the  whole  fire  of  the  fort  concentrated  on  the  Wabash,  and 
afterward,  in  turn,  on  each  one  of  the  vessels,  as  they  passed, 
in  a  fiery  procession,  before  the  shore,  delivering  with  the 
utmost  coolness  and  the  most  exact  precision,  their  murderous 
fire,  running  even  nearer  than  before,  firing  more  effectually 
than  ever,  yet  again  steaming  away  unharmed,  and  turning 
the  point  for  still  another  round. 
2c 


326  INCIDENTS    AND     ANECDOTES 

The  utmost  consternation  now  took  full  possession  of  the 
rebels,  and,  in  an  uncontrollable  panic,  they  fled  with  precipi 
tation.  The  panic  at  Bull  Eun  was  not  more  complete ; 
indeed,  not  half  so  much  so,  for  the  rebels  in  their  mortal 
terror  ran  for  the  woods  without  stopping  for  anything  what 
ever.  The  left  in  their  tents  hundreds  of  dollars  of  money, 
gold  watches,  costly  swords,  and  other  valuables,  showing  that 
their  fear  was  uncontrollable  and  complete. 

The  flight,  observed  first  from  the  little  gunboat  Mercury, 
was  communicated  by  her  to  the  flag-ship,  and  then  was  imme 
diately  telegraped  to  all  the  fleet. 

When  our  men  took  possession  on  Bay  Point,  they  discov 
ered  a  characteristic  trick  of  the  enemy,  which  most  luckily 
failed  to  succeed.  The  Secession  flag  was  hauled  partly  down, 
and  the  halyards  were  connected  with  an  ingenious  percussion- 
cap  apparatus,  so  arranged  that  the  complete  hauling  down  of 
the  flag  would  explode  the  cap,  which  was  intended  to  ignite 
a  train  of  powder  connected  with  the  powder  magazina  By 
some  unforeseen  accident,  a  quantity  of  sand  was  thrown  over 
part  of  the  train  of  powder,  so  that  although  the  cap  exploded 
and  fired  a  part  of  the  powder,  and  blew  up  a  neighboring 
house,  it  did  not  communicate  with  the  magazine,  and  little 
harm  was  done. 

The  Wabash  fired,  during  the  entire  action,  nine  hundred 
shots,  being  all  eight,  nine,  ten,  and  eleven-inch  shells,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  rifled-cannon  projectiles  of  a  new  pat 
tern,  and  which  were  used  simply  as  a  matter  of  experiment 
The  Susguehanna  fired  five  hundred  shots,  the  Bienville  one 
hundred  and  eighty -five,  and  the  average  of  the  gunboats  and 
the  other  smaller  ships  may  probably  be  set  down  at  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  each.  There  were,  in  all,  sixteen  vessels 
engaged  on  our  side,  and,  probably,  from  all  of  them  were  fired 
not  far  from  3,500  shot  and  shell  at  the  two  forts,  Walker  and 
Beauregard,  the  four-gun  battery,  and  Tatnall's,  and  the  three 
steamers. 

On  almost  every  vessel,  after  the  fight,  the  men  were  called 
aft  and  publicly  thanked  by  their  respective  Captains.  On  the 


OF     THE     WAR.  327 

Bienville,  particular  mention  was  made  and  special  thanks 
returned,  in  presence  of  the  ship's  company,  to  William  Henry 
Steele,  a  boy  not  fourteen  years  old,  who  conducted  himself 
with  distinguished  bravery.  He  was  powder-boy ;  and  not 
only  never  flinched  nor  dodged  a  shot,  but  when  two  men 
were  killed  at  his  gun,  he  did  not  turn  pale,  nor  cease,  for  an 
instant,  his  duties,  but  handed  the  cartridge  he  had  in  hand  to 
the  gunner,  stepped  carefully  over  the  bodies,  and  hastened 
below  for  more  ammunition. 

Thomas  Jackson,  coxswain  of  the  Wabash,  was  struck  by  a 
shot,  which  so  nearly  cut  his  leg  off  as  to  leave  it  hanging  by 
a  small  portion  of  the  muscle  and  skin/  Partially  rising  and 
leaning  painfully  against  a  gun,  Jackson  glanced  at  his  mangled 
limb,  and,  in  an  instant  perceived  its  helpless  condition.  Feel 
ing  behind  his  back  in  his  belt,  where  seamen  always  carry 
their  knives,  he  drew  his  sheath-knife  from  its  leathern  scab 
bard,  and  deliberately  began  to  saw  away  at  his  leg.  He  was 
borne  below  by  his  mates  ;  and  afterward  asked  continually 
how  the  fight  was  going,  saying,  "  I  hope  we'll  win  it,  I  hope 
we'll  win."  In  two  hours  he  died ;  his  last  words  being  a 
wish  for  victory,  arid  a  word  of  thanks  that  he  had  been  able 
to  do  something  for  the  honor  of  the  "  dear  old  flag." 

The  Wabash  was  struck  thirty-five  times.  One  shot  below 
the  water-line  started  a  bad  leak.  Another  almost  cut  away 
the  mainmast.  Her  rigging  was  badly  cut  up.  Her  handling 
was  very  effective.  She  was,  at  no  time,  in  a  position  to  be 
raked  by  the  enemy's  guns.  She  escaped  with  remarkable 
good  fortune,  considering  that,  as  the  flag-ship,  she  was  the 
enemy's  special  target 

The  Bienville  was  particularly  exposed — having  approached 
nearer  the  shore  than  any  other  vessel.  But  five  shots  struck 
her,  and  only  one  doing  any  serious  injury.  One  columbiad 
solid  shot  struck  her  on  the  starboard  bow,  killing  two  and 
wounding  three  of  her  crew. 

The  Penguin  was  struck  in  her  steam-chest,  but  no  person 
was  injured  by  the  escaping  steam.  She  was  immediately 
towed  out  of  action  by  the  Isaac  Smith  tug-boat,  which,  though 


328  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

not  a  fighter,  was  everywhere  in  the  midst  of  shot  and  shell, 
ready  for  towing  off  any  disabled  ship. 

The  Pawnee  was  struck  nine  times.  The  Mohican  also 
received  a  number  of  shots.  These  two  were  the  most  cut-up 
of  any  of  the  smaller  vessels  of  the  fleet.  The  Ottawa,  Seneca, 
Vandalia,  Seminole,  Susquelianna,  Pocahontas,  and.  Augusta,  all 
were  several  times  hit,  but  none  were  disabled.  This  apparent 
lack  of  execution,  when  the  shots  so  many  times  struck  the 
vessels,  arises  from  the  fact  that,  either  the  rebels  aimed  high, 
for  the  purpose  of  breaking  the  walking-beams,  and  so  crip 
pling  the  engines  of  such  of  our  vessels  as  could  thus  be  dis 
abled  ;  or  not  deeming  it  possible  that  we  would  have  the 
temerity  to  engage  them  at  six  hundred  yards  instead  of  two 
or  three  miles,  the  guns  were  all  sighted  for  the  longest  range, 
and  they  consequently  carried  over,  and  clear  of  the  hulls  of 
our  ships,  and  only  cut  the  upper  rigging. 

The  enemy  left  Fort  Walker  so  hurriedly  that  their  private 
effects,  indeed,  everything  were  wholly  abandoned.  The 
Federal  troops  found  everything  just  as  they  left  them.  Din 
ner  tables  were  set,  and  good  food  ready  for  the  hungry 
fighters.  The  amount  of  stuff  found  was  astonishing.  All  was 
taken  possession  of  by  our  forces,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  articles  taken  as  mementoes  of  the  occasion,  everything 
was  turned  over  to  the  proper  officers.  Quite  a  number  of 
elegant  swords  and  pistols,  saddles,  etc.,  were  found,  and  dis 
tributed  among  the  deserving. 

The  appearance  of  the  old  flag  on  the  Game  Cock  State  was 
hailed  by  enthusiastic  cheers  from  the  men  of  war,  and  caught 
up  by  the  transports.  Cheer  after  cheer  went  round  the  har 
bor,  bands  played  patriotic  tunes,  and  every  one  felt  most  gay 
and  festive.  The  effect  on  the  men  when  the  flag  waved  aloft, 
was  differently  and  curiously  manifested.  Some  cheered 
lustily,  while  others  were  choked  with  their  emotions.  Some 
wept  with  joy,  the  tears  rolling  down  their  cheeks  as  large  as 
peas,  whilst  others  were  much  excited  at  once  more  seeing  the 
colors  of  the  Federal  Union  waving  over  South  Carolina's 
traitorous  soil. 


THE  FALL  OF  FORTS  HENRY  AND  DONELSON. 

THE  sudden  change  of  programme  in  the  conduct  of  the  war 
in  the  West  during  February  was  owing  to  the  fine  stage  of 
water  in  the  rivers  and  to  the  proven  efficiency  of  the  gun 
boats.  Anticipating  an  advance  up  the  Cumberland  and  Ten 
nessee  rivers  the  Confederates  had  erected  two  strong  fortifica 
tions  near  the  Tennessee  line — Fort  Henry  on  the  Tennessee 
river  and  Fort  Donelson,  a  powerful  defense,  on  the  Cumber 
land,  near  Dover.  These  structures  were  well  constructed, 
mounted  heavy  and  numerous  guns,  were  well  flanked  by  rifle 
pits,  and,  beside  their  regular  garrison,  had  heavy  supporting 
field  forces  constantly  within  reach.  It  was  their  powerful 
character  which  induced  Grant  to  desist  from  his  first  essay  up 
the  Tennessee. 

A  movement  against  them,  if  successful,  would  at  once 
force  the  rebel  lines  of  defense  far  to  the  South,  and  render 
Bowling  Green  and  Nashville  an  easy  conquest.  Whether 
to  General  Halleck,  Commodore  Foote,  General  Grant,  or  Mr. 
Lincoln  belongs  the  credit  of  first  conceiving  the  campaign, 
we  do  not  know.  That  it  was  well  planned  and  brilliantly 
executed,  the  history  of  the  war  proves. 

An  order  (February  1st)  promulgated  by  General  Grant, 
placed  his  forces  on  a  footing  of  active  service.  It  was  as 
follows  : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  DISTRICT  OF  CAIRO,  ) 
CAIRO,  Feb.  1st,  1862.      f 

"  For  temporary  government  the  forces  of  this  military  district  will  be  divided 
and  commanded  as  follows,  to  wit : 

42  2c2 


330  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES    . 

"  The  First  brigade  will  consist  of  the  Eighth.  Eighteenth,  Twenty-seventh 
Twenty-ninth,  Thirtieth  and  Thirty-first  regiments  of  Illinois  Volunteers,  Schw a rtz'a 
and  Dresser's  batteries,  and  Stewart's,  Dollin's,  O'Harne't's,  and  Carmichael'a 
cavalry.  Colonel  R.  J.  Oglesby,  senior  Colonel  of  the  brigade,  commanding. 

"  The  Second  brigade  will  consist  of  the  Eleventh,  Twentieth,  Forty-fifth  and  Forty- 
eighth  Illinois  infantry,  Fourth  Illinois  cavalry,  Taylor's  and  McAllister's  artillery. 
(The  latter  with  four  siege  guns)  Colonel  W.  H.  L.  Wallace  commandimg. 

"  The  First  and  Second  brigades  will  constitute  the  first  division  of  the  district  of 
Cairo,  and  will  be  commanded  by  Brigadier  General  John  A.  McClernand. 

"  The  Third  brigade  will  consist  of  the  Eighth  Wisconsin,  Forty-ninth  Illinois , 
Twenty-fifth  Indiana,  four  companies  of  artillery,  and  such  troops  as  are  yet  to 
arrive,  Brigadier  General  E.  A.  Paine  commanding. 

"  The  Fourth  brigade  will  be  composed  of  the  Tenth,  Sixteenth,  Twenty-second, 
and  Thirty-third  Illinois  and  the  Tenth  Iowa  infantry ;  Houtaling's  battery  of  light 
artillery,  four  companies  of  the  Seventh  and  two  companies  of  the  First  Illinois 
cavalry;  Colonel  Morgan  commanding. 

"  General  E.  A.  Paine  is  assigned  to  the  command  at  Cairo  and  Mound  City,  and 
Colonel  Morgan  to  the  command  at  Bird's  Point.  By  order  of 

"  U.  S.  GRANT,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 

"  JNO.  A.  RAWLINS,  Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

The  advance — McClernand's  two  brigades  —  from  Cairo, 
commenced  by  transports,  February  3d,  passing  directly  up 
the  Tennessee  river,  and  disembarking  on  the  4th  four  miles 
north  of  Fort  Henry.  The  iron-clad  gunboats  of  Commodore 
Foote's  fleet  were  already  there.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the 
troops  three  of  the  boats  steamed  up  to  reconnoiter  and  "  feel 
of"  the  batteries.  The  enemy  gave  them  a  warm  reception, 
fully  showing  his  position  and  force.  Reenforcements  pressed 
up  almost  hourly  from  below,  until  Grant's  force,  by  February 
6th,  was  equal  to  any  emergency.  February  5th  the  General 
returned  from  the  advance  to  Paducah  to  bring  up  General 
Smith's  division,  then  at  that  point,  7000  strong.  These  all 
debarked  at  a  favorable  point,  on  the  6th,  near  the  Fort. 

But  the  activity  of  Foote  anticipated  the  slower  movements 
of  the  army.  He  steamed  up,  February  6th,  passing  around 
Painter's  Creek  Island — which  lay  over  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Tennessee,  directly  in  front  of  Fort  Henry.  The  enemy  had 
neglected  to  obstruct  that  passage. 

The  boats  emerged  above  the  Fort,  only  one  mile  away,  hav 
ing  the  stream  in  their  favor.  The  gunboat  Cincinnati,  (the 
"  flag  ship,'7)  Commodore  Foote  on  board,  opened  the  fight, 


OF    THE     WAR.  331 

slowly  advancing  directly  down  upon  the  fort,  followed  by  the 
St.  Louis,  Carondelet,  Essex,  Conestoga  and  Lexington.  The 
Fort  replied  with  a  furioxis  and  well  served  fire  from  heavy 
guns.  The  boats  floated  down  until  within  three  hundred 
yards  of  the  enemy's  embrazures,  when  headway  was  stopped 
and  a  close  quarter  action  ordered.  The  fire  was  perfectly 
appalling  for  a  few  minutes  succeeding,  when  at  1.40  the  ene 
my's  flag  struck  and  the  Fort  was  won.  Its  commander,  Gen 
eral  Lloyd  Tilghman  of  Kentucky,  (formerly  of  the  United 
States  Army,)  surrendered  unconditionally,  with  his  staff  and 
artillerists,  (sixty.)  The  rebel  infantry  encamped  near  the 
Fort  fled  at  the  first  fire,  abandoning  even  their  dinner — leav 
ing  Tilghman  to  do  his  work  alone.  The  rebels  also  had 
three  gunboats  which  fled  hastily  up  the  river.  The  Fort 
mounted  seventeen  guns — most  of  them  thirty-two  and  thirty- 
four-pounders  rifled,  and  one,  a  superb  ten-inch  columbiad. 
The  rebel  loss  was  five  killed  and  ten  badly  wounded.  Why 
Tilghman  surrendered,  with  only  two  guns  disabled,  our  forces 
could  not  see.  Commodore  Foote  received  his  sword,  when 
General  Tilghman  said  :  "  I  am  glad  to  surrender  to  so  gallant 
an  officer."  Foote's  notable  reply  was :  "  You  do  perfectly 
right,  sir,  in  surrendering ;  but  you  should  have  blown  my 
boats  out  of  the  water  before  I  would  have  surrendered 
to  you  !" 

The  Cincinnati  was  hit  by  thirty-one  shots — some  of  them 
passing  through  her.  The  Essex  was  disabled  by  a  heavy 
ball,  which  entered  her  side  forward  port,  cut  through  the 
bulkhead  and  squarely  through  one  of » her  boilers.  The 
escaping  steam  scalded  to  death  the  two  pilots  in  the  house 
above  and  injured  more  or  less  all  on  board,  including  Com 
mander  Porter.  His  aid,  S.  B.  Brittan,  was  killed  at  his  side 
by  a  shot.  The  Essex,  after  the  disaster,  was  allowed  to  float 
down  stream  beyond  the  range  of  the  guns.  Her  loss  was  six 
killed,  seventeen  wounded,  and  five  missing. 

Grant's  forces  were  in  the  Fort  one  half  hour  after  its  sur 
render.  A  delay  of  the  attack  by  the  gunboats  until  Grant 
could  have  invested  the  place,  doubtless  would  have  given 


332  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

the  Union  army  the  entire  force  of  rebel  infantry  which  so 
hastily  fled  across  to  Fort  Donelson. 

This  capture  opened  the  way  for  an  immediate  descent  on 
Fort  Donelson.  The  pursuit  of  the  retreating  forces  was 
rapid,  and  resulted  in  the  capture  of  eight  brass  guns  and 
thirty-three  prisoners.  Three  gunboats  pushed  on  up  the 
river  disabling  the  railway  bridge  across  the  Tennessee  and 
Danville,  and  securing  considerable  quanty  of  commissary 
stores,  wagons  and  army  supplies  found  at  the  bridge.  The 
entire  property  secured  by  the  day's  work  was  valued  at  about 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  gunboats  returned  on 
the  10th,  having  succeeded  in  reconnoitering  as  far  up  as 
Florence,  and  in  capturing  and  destroying  a  number  of  steam 
ers  used  by  the  enemy  as  transports. 

The  rebels  hastened  to  reenforce  Fort  Donelson.  Generals 
Pillow,  Floyd  and  Buckner  were  all  there  with  their  respective 
brigades,  besides  the  regular  garrison  of  the  fortress,  composed 
of  artillerists  from  Columbus  and  the  Mississippi  river  forts 
below.  Outlying  fortifications  were  thrown  up,  and  rifle  pits 
thrown  out  flank  and  rear.  With  this  force  and  disposition 
it  became  evident  that  the  reduction  of  the  Fort  would  be  a 
bloody  affair,  at  best 

Commodore  Foote  with  five  boats  started  down  the  Tennes 
see  immediately  after  the  capture  of  Fort  Henry,  proceeding 
to  Cairo  to  recruit  and  repair  damages.  On  the  night  of 
February  llth  he  started  for  the  Cumberland  river. 

The  investment  of  Fort  Donelson  was  complete  by  the  12th 
-McClernand's  division  having  the  Federal  right  wing  and 
General  Smith's  the  left,  while  Foote's  gunboats  commanded 
the  river  and  assaulted  the  works  from  the  front  The  pow 
erful  river  batteries  were  his  chief  point  of  attack  Six  gun 
boats  went  into  the  fight  February  14th  before  three  P.  M., 
the  flag  boat  St.  Louis  leading.  A  severe  contest  followed  of 
an  hour  and  a  half  duration — the  enemy  using  every  possible 
exertion  to  overcome  their  water  antagonists.  They  were  so 
far  successful  as  to  shoot  away  the  wheel  of  the  St.  Louis  and 
the  rudder  of  the  Louisville,  while  all  the  boats  were  riddled 


OF     THE     WAK.  333 

with  shot.  The  St.  Louis  alone  received  fifty  solid  balls  in 
and  through  her  mail  and  upperworks.  The  firing  of  the  ves 
sels  was  fearfully  destructive — much  of  the  time  some  of  the 
boats  being  within  four  hundred  yards  of  the  batteries.  The 
enemy  were  completely  driven  from  most  of  the  guns,  but 
three  guns  kept  up  the  contest  bravely  so  long  as  the  iron 
clads  were  within  range.  Fifty-four  men  were  killed  and 
wounded  on  the  boats.  The  enemy's  loss  was  not  ascertained. 
The  Tyler  and  Conestoga  (not  iron-clad)  were  disabled  early  in 
the  fight. 

The  particulars  of  the  fight  are  so  full  of  interest,  as  show 
ing  the  tremendous  power  of  modern  enginery  of  war,  that  we 
may  quote  from  the  account  of  one  present  during  the  terrific 
conflict  : 

''At  two  P.  M.  (Feb.  14th)  precisely  the  signal  was  given  from  the  flag 
ship  to  get  under  weigh,  and  in  a  few  moments  we  were  slowly  steaming 
np  the  river.  "We  had  proceeded  perhaps  a  fourth  of  a  mile  when  a 
single  report,  emanating  from  the  upper  battery  of  the  Fort,  greeted  us, 
and  notified  us  that  the  rebels  were  awaiting  us  in  savage  expectation. 
On  we  went,  however,  not  a  sound  escaping  from  our  crafts,  except  the 
slow  puffing  of  the  escape  pipes  and  the  cheery  plashing  of  the  paddle 
wheels,  while  the  enemy  were  busy  awaking  the  dormant  echoes  with 
their  cannonading,  and  agitating  the  swollen  waters  with  their  shot  and 
shell,  scattered  in  promiscuous  profusion  all  around  us.  When  we  had 
sailed  up  to  within  a  mile  of  the  Fort,  the  Flag  Officer  let  go  his  star 
board  bow  rifle,  and  we  followed  him  with  ours ;  then  the  PittsbuPg  and 
Carondelet  followed  suit,  and  the  ball  was  really  opened  in  earnest. 
Our  first  shots  fell  short ;  but  a  little  more  elevation  of  the  guns  reme 
died  the  failing,  and  the  next  round  saw  our  balls  dropped  into  uncom 
fortably  close  proximity  to  their  batteries.  From  this  time  to  the  end 
of  the  action  there  was  not  a  lull  in  the  steady  and  constant  firing  from 
our  boats,  nor  was  there  a  moment  when  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  front 
was  not  a  steady  stream  of  fire.  In  order  to  get  the  best  view  of  the 
action,  I  stationed  myself  upon  the  upper  deck,  and  just  as  near  in  the 
wake  of  the  pilot  house  as  possible,  taking  my  chances  at  getting  a 
sight  of  what  was  going  on  in  front  by  abbreviated  peeps  and  squints 
around  the  corners,  and  hurried  stares  through  the  look-out  holes  which 
the  considerate  carpenter  had  left  for  the  optical  accommodation  of  the 
pilots.  The  flag-ship  St.  Louis  took  the  advance,  and  was  hugging  the 
western  shore ;  then  came  our  own  (the  Louisville),  then  the  Pittsburg 
and  Carondelet,  in  order,  and  as  near  side  by  side  as  was  possible  in  a 


334  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

river  scarcely  wide  enough  for  two  boats  to  pass  each  other.  In  this 
order  we  formed  a  straight  battery  of  twelve  guns  in  front,  while  the 
two  gunboats  Conestoga  and  Lexington,  followed  in  our  wake,  pouring 
in  their  quota  of  missiles  from  their  fcow  columbiads  at  a  safe  distance! 
We  could  see  nearly  every  one  of  our  shots  take  effect  within  or  near 
the  rebel  batteries,  the  more  deadly  and  certain  as  we  slowly  steamed 
up  toward  them.  Thus  we  proceeded  side  by  side,  our  fire  never  slack 
ening  or  our  determination  faltering  until  we  arrived  within  three  hun 
dred  yards  of  the  lower  battery.  At  this  time  the  enemy's  shot  and 
-11s  were  screaming  through  the  air  or  ravaging  our  sides  and  decks 
w^hout  cessation,  while  ours  were  divesting  them  of  their  more  exposed 
batteries,  ploughing  up  their  hill-sides  aad  decimating  their  camps  in 
terrible  haste.  I  saw  one  large  shell  from  the  Louisville  fall  and  explode 
directly  under  one  of  their  guns,  sending  a  score  of  rebel  soldiers  to 
their  long  homes,  demolishing  the  battery  and  scattering  those  not 
killed  or  wounded  in  indecent  haste  to  the  nearest  covers.  When  we 
had  attained  the  last  named  position,  viz.  within  three  hundred  yards 
of  their  works,  we  stopped  our  headway,  and  when  the  boats  were  mo 
tionless  we  poured  in  our  last  and  most  destructive  fire.  It  really 
seemed  at  this  time  that  the  quintessence  of  destruction  was  contained 
in  those  twelve  great  iron  thunderers.  With  each  discharge  a  rebel 
gun  was  silenced,  at  each  broadside  a  host  of  frightened  rebels  would 
scud  up  the  hill  to  a  place  of  safety  behind  the  upper  earthworks,  and 
all  but  two  of  the  lower  guns  had  ceased  to  deal  us  their  destruction. 
Now  a  new  battery  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-pound  guns  opened 
upon  us  from  the  left  and  rear  of  the  first  works.  We  were  within 
point  blank  range,  and  the  destruction  to  our  fleet  was  really  terrible. 
One  huge  solid  shot  struck  our  boat  just  at  the  angle  of  the  upper  deck 
and  pilot  house,  perforated  the  iron  plating,  passed  through  the  heavy 
timbers  and  buried  itself  in  a  pile  of  hammocks  just  in  front  and  in  a 
direct  line  with  the  boilers.  Another,  a  shell,  raked  us  from  bow  to 
stern,  passed  through  the  wheelhouse,  emerged,  dropped  and  exploded 
in  the  river  just  at  our  stern.  Then  a  ten-inch  solid  shot  entered  our 
starboard  bow  port,  demolished  a  gun  carriage,  killed  three  men  and 
wounded  four  others,  traversed  the  entire  length  of  the  boat,  and  sunk 
into  the  river  in  our  wake.  Then  a  shell  came  shrieking  through  the 
air,  striking  fair  into  our  forward  starboard  port,  killing  another  man 
and  wounding  two  more,  passed  aft,  sundering  our  rudder  chains,  and 
rendering  the  boat  unmanageable.  Now  we  were  compelled  to  drop 
astern,  and  leave  the  scene  of  action ;  but  our  gunners  sent  their  respects 
to  the  rebels  as  long  as  their  fire  could  be  the  least  effective ;  and,  so 
far  as  we  wore  concerned,  the  battle  was  over. 

"  The  last  battery  was  the  one  that  put  the  finishing  stroke  to  the 


OF     THE     WAE.  335 

fleet.  One  of  the  enemy's  shells  entered  and  exploded  directly  in  the 
pilot  house  of  the  St.  Louis,  killing  the  pilot  and  wounding  Flag  Officer 
Foote  severely  in  the  leg.  Two  of  the  shots  entered  the  Pittsburg  below 
the  guards,  causing  her  to  leak  badly,  and  it  is  probable  that  she  will 
sink  before  morning.  Another  entered  the  Carondelet,  killing  four  men 
and  injuring  eight  others.  By  this  time  three  of  the  boats  were  disabled, 
and  then  the  signal  was  given  to  back  out  and  return  to  our  anchorage. 
The  enemy's  lower  battery  was  silenced,  however,  and  only  the  two  one 
hundred  and  twenty-pounders  on  the  hill  were  playing  upon  us,  and  it 
is  universally  conceded  that  if  we  had  had  ten  minutes  more  time  Fort 
Donelson  would  have  shared  the  fate  of  Fort  Henry,  and  the  Cumber 
land  river  been  opened  and  divested  of  its  rebel  embargo." 

Fort  Donelson  was  thus  described  by  one  on  the  ground  : 
"  This  Fort  takes  its  name  from  the  Andrew  Jackson  Donelson 
family  of  Tennessee,  its  construction  was  commenced  in  May 
last.  No  better  position  for  defense  could  have  been  selected 
at  any  point  on  the  Cumberland  as  yet  passed  by  us.  It  is 
on  a  fine  slope  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  in  a  very  slight 
bend,  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  Cumberland,  one  hundred 
and  seven  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  nearly  two 
hundred  from  Cairo.  It  mounts  sixteen  guns.  There  are 
three  batteries — the  first  about  twenty  feet  above  the  water, 
consisting  of  six  guns,  thirty-two  and  sixty -four-pounders  ;  the 
second  about  equal  in  strength,  located  about  sixty  feet  above 
this  ;  and  the  third  on  the  summit  of  the  hill,  mounting  four 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight-pounders.  The  trenches  in  the 
vicinity  of  each  battery  are  unusually  deep.  The  earth  works 
are  not  less  than  six  feet  thick,  braced  by  heavy  logs.  The 
rebel  camp  is  behind  the  hill,  and  cannot  be  reached  from  the 
gunboats  by  shot  or  shell." 

The  gunboats  having  been  disabled,  General  Grant  resolved 
not  to  await  their  repair,  and  prepared  at  once  to  assault  and 
reduce  the  rebel  stronghold.  His  army  was  rapidly  strength 
ened  by  five  detachments  from  General  Hunter's  (Kansas) 
Department,  and  by  all  the  available  regiments  of  the  Western 
States.  The  investment  of  the  fort  was  completed  by  assign 
ing  the  Federal  center  to  General  Lew  Wallace's  division. 

The  gunboats  withdrew  Friday  afternoon,  (14th.)  That 
night  was  spent  in  getting  the  brigades  in  position.  Early  on 


336  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

Saturday  morning  (15tli)  the  enemy  opened  on  the  Federal 
right  (McClernand's  division)  by  a  sharp  fire  on  Colonel  Law- 
ler's  Eighteenth  Illinois  regiment.  All  of  Ogleby's  brigade 
was  quickly  engaged.  The  brigades  of  "Wallace  and  McAr- 
thur  soon  came  into  the  fight,  which,  by  ten  o'clock,  became 
very  furious.  General  Wallace  sent  four  regiments  to  McCler 
nand's  support,  viz.  :  the  Seventeenth  and  Twenty-fifth  Ken 
tucky  and  Thirty-first  Indiana,  with  the  Forty-fourth  Indiana 
as  a  reserve. 

The  troops  on  the  right  were  disposed  as  follows :  First, 
McArthur's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Ninth,  Twelfth  and 
Forty-first  Illinois,  having  temporarily  attached  the  Seven 
teenth  and  Nineteenth  Illinois.  Next  came  Ogleby's  brigade, 
the  Eighth,  Eighteenth,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirtieth  and  Thirty- 
first  Illinois,  and  Schwartz's  and  Dresser's  batteries.  Next, 
Colonel  W.  H.  L.  Wallace's  brigade,  the  Eleventh,  Twentieth, 
Forty-fifth  and  Forty-eighth  Illinois,  and  Taylor's  and  McAl- 
ister's  batteries. 

These  three  brigades  composed  McClernand's  division,  and 
bore  the  brunt  of  conflict  Upon  that  point  the  rebels  pressed 
with  the  utmost  tenacity,  and  the  deeds  of  valor  there  per 
formed  by  both  parties  form  one  of  the  most  splendid,  though 
bloody,  records  of  the  entire  war.  McClernand's  men  exhaust 
ed  their  ammunition  entirely,  and,  finally,  were  called  from 
the  field  to  recuperate  and  obtain  reenforcements.  With  this 
returning  movement  a  counter  movement  was  made  by  the 
charge  of  Smith's  entire  division  upon  the  enemy's  works. 
The  charge  was  so  furious  as  to  bear  all  before  it,  and  Smith's 
men  occupied  the  entire  works  of  the  rebels  on  the  left. 
Grant  announced  this  to  McClernand,  ordering  his  advance. 
This  was  then  made,  in  a  brilliant  manner,  and  the  enemy 
was  forced  back  within  his  works  on  the  Federal  right.  Thus 
the  Union  army  found  themselves  in  a  position  to  carry  the 
enemy's  main  work  by  assault,  on  the  morning  of  Sunday. 

But,  no  such  service  was  required  of  the  elated  and  brave- 
fellows  whose  achievements  during  the  Saturday's  contest  cov 
ered  them  with  glory.  At  a  very  early  hour  General  Simon 


OF     THE     WAK.  337 

Buckner,  the  senior  rebel  General  in  the  fortification,  sent  out 
to  obtain  an  armistice  preliminary  to  arrangements  of  terms 
of  honorable  capitulation.  Grant  replied  that  nothing  but 
unconditional  and  immediate  surrender  would  answer — that 
he  was  prepared  for  the  assault  and  shoxild  soon  carry  the 
works  by  the  bayonet.  Grumbling  at  the  discourtesy  (!)  shown 
him,  Buckner  unconditionally  surrendered  with  his  force  of 
nearly  15,000  men. 

Upon  entering  the  premises  it  was  found  that  Generals  Pil 
low  and  Floyd,  with  their  troops,  had  flown.  During  the 
night  they  had,  at  a  council  of  war,  declared  their  purpose  to 
leave  by  the  three  steamers  still  at  the  landing  above  Dover. 
Pillow  said  he  would  not  surrender — Floyd  said  it  never  would 
do  for  him  to  fall  into  Federal  hands  ;  and  so  Buckner,  the 
unfortunate  ex-chief  of  the  Kentucky  State  Guard,  was  forced 
to  do  the  deed — to  give  up  his  arms  and  submit  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  Government  which  he  had  betrayed.  The 
flight  of  Floyd  and  Pillow  was  the  theme  of  much  amusing 
comment  by  the  Northern  forces.  The  escape  of  the  great 
<k  chief  of  thieves"  was  certainly  greatly  deplored,  for  if  any 
rebel  among  the  conspirators  deserved  the  halter  more  than 
another,  that  man  was  John  B.  Floyd,  Mr.  Buchanan's  Secre 
tary  of  "War.* 

The  armament  of  the  Fort  and  water  batteries  consisted  of 
forty -four  guns,  most  of  them  of  superior  make  and  heavy 
calibre.  About  17,000  stand  of  small  arms  were  taken,  and 
an  immense  amount  of  stores  —  among  which,  were  twelve 
hundred  boxes  of  beef,  showing  that  the  rebels  had  resolve'd 
to  stand  a  siege  before  giving  up.  Floyd's  and  Pillow's  men, 
in  crossing  the  river,  pitched  all  superfluous  arms  and  baggage 
into  the  stream.  A  Louisiana  cavalry  company  made  its  way, 
during  the  darkness,  up  the  river,  and  thus  escaped.  Pillow 
and  Floyd  made  direct  for  Clarksville. 

*  This  surrender  was  the  occasion  of  a  pretty  sharp  correspondence 
among  the  Confederates ;  and  Johnson  had  to  "  explain"  to  his  govern 
ment.  Buckner  felt  that  he  was  made  the  scape-goat  for  greater  rogues 
than  himself. 

43  2D 


338  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  losses  of  the  Union  regi 
ments  that  were  engaged  in  the  battle  : 

Killed.          Wounded. 

Eighth  Illinois     .......  56  196 

Ninth  Illinois 36  160 

Eleventh  Illinois 71  180 

Twelfth  Illinois 35  109 

Seventeenth  Illinois 4  20 

Eighteenth  Illinois          ....        45  60 

Twentieth  Illinois 21  118 

Thirtieth  Illinois 19  71 

Thirty-first  Illinois 40  200 

Forty-first  Illinois 17  130 

Forty-ninth  Illinois 10  30 

Twelfth  Iowa 3  24 

Second  Iowa .88  160 

Fourteenth  Iowa 6  50 

Fifty-eighth  Ohio —  3 

Taylor's  Battery 1  4 

Total       ......         401  1,515 

Prisoners  taken 250 

Making  a  total  Union  loss  of  2,166.  The 'rebel  loss  in  kill 
ed  and  wounded  and  prisoners  is  estimated  at  15,700. 

As  was  expected  these  rapid  strokes  of  the  Union  army  as 
tounded  and  disconcerted  the  enemy.  His  boasted  strong 
holds  at  Bowling  Green  and  Columbus  were  quickly"  aban 
doned  ;  Clarksville  was  soon  deserted,  and  Nashville  tempo 
rarily  occupied  by  the  fast  retreating  rebels.  But,  the  opera 
tions  of  the  gunboats  on  the  Tennessee  river  promised  to  cut 
off  retreat  by  the  South,  and  Nashville  was  therefore  soon 
given  up  without  a  struggle — the  enemy  falling  back  upon 
Murfresboro,  then  upon  Chatanooga,  and  finally  upon  Corinth, 
where  Johnson  and  Beauregard  determined  to  await  the  shock 
of  the  combined  Federal  armies,  and  thus  decide  the  fate  of 
the  Mississippi  Valley. 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    BATTLE    BEFORE    FOET 
DONELSON. 

THE  enemy's  assault  was  in  force  upon  the  morning  of 
Saturday.  McClernand's  division  not  only  was  the.  Federal 
weak  point,  but  the  ground  was  so  contracted  that  but  one 
regiment  of  the  Unionists  could  be  brought  to  bear  on  the 
assailed  point.  As  a  consequence,  the  slaughter  was  fearful 
But  no  troops  ever  fought  with  less  idea  of  giving  way. 

The  first  regiment  to  receive  the  enemy's  onslaught,  was  the 
Eighteenth  Illinois,  Colonel  Lawler,  Oglesby's  brigade.  This 
regiment  fought  until  their  ammunition  was  all  expended, 
when  the  Eighth  Illinois  walked  into  their  places,  commanded 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Frank  L.  Rhodes — Colonel  Oglesby 
acting  as  commander  of  the  First  .Brigade.  The  remaining 
regiments  of  the  brigade  rendered  such  assistance  as  the  nature 
of  the  ground  would  admit  The  Thirtieth  Illinois,  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  E.  S.  Dennis,  commanding,  supported  Schwart's 
Missouri  battery,  posted  on  the  right,  and  the  Thirty-first 
Illinois,  Colonel  John  A.  Logan,  supporting  Dresser's  Illinois 
battery,  posted  on  the  left  of  the  brigade  position. 

The  enemy  struck  for  the  batteries,  over  which  a  most 
sanguinary  struggle  ensued.  Every  horse  was  killed  at 
Schwartz's  guns,  and  most  of  the  artillerists.  Logan's  regi 
ment  defended  the  guns  until  it  had  lost  the  Colonel,  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel,  acting-Major,  seven  Captains,  and  a  proportionate 
number  of  lower  grade  officers  and  men,  either  killed  or  dis 
abled  1  The  battery  was  finally  surrounded,  and  Captain 


340  INCIDENTS     AND  ANECDOTES 

Cook  drew  off  the  skeleton  of  the  fine  regiment — leaving  the 
guns  in  the  enemy's  hands.  A  reporter  present  wrote  of  that 
terrible  struggle  : 

"  The  Eighteenth  regiment  seems  to  have  resisted  the  severest  storm. 
Against  their  ranks  the  Rebels  directed  their  heaviest  fire,  but  instead 
of  falling  back  they  advanced  to  the  very  face  of  the  enemy,  and  there 
stood  in  the  very  jaws  of  death,  with  scarcely  a  prospeet  that  a  single  one 
would  escape. 

"  For  three  hours  these  regiments,  numbering  scarcely  3,000  men  held 
their  ground  against  the  whole  rebel  garrison.  At  one  time  the  Eighteenth 
being  partially  flanked,  was  exposed  to  a  cross-fire  of  both  musketry  and 
artillery,  but  our  right  wing,  securing  the  rebels'  left,  at  once  relieved 
them.  At  this  critical  moment  Colonel  Lawler  fell.  Captain  Bush,  act 
ing  Lieutenant-Colonel,  assumed  command,  but  was  soon  wounded. 

"  Captain  Crane  was  shot  dead,  Captain  Lawler  was  mortally  wounded, 
Lieutenants  Mansford  and  Thompson  killed,  Captains  Dillon  and  Wilson 
and  Lieutenants  Kelly  and  Scanlon  wounded,  so  that  the  daring  Egyptian 
regiment  stood  before  an  overwhelming  fire  almost  without  officers 
They  fell  in  heaps  dead  and  wounded.  Companies  were  bereft  of  Cap 
tains  and  Lieutenants,  Captains  almost  bereft  of  Companies. 

"  The  three  other  regiments  did  their  duty  nobly.  Colonels  Oglesby, 
Marsh,  and  Logan  dashed  along  the  ranks,  waving  their  hats  and  cheer 
ing  their  men  to  the  conflict.  '  Suffer  death,  men,'  cried  Logan,  '  but 
disgrace  never.  Stand  firm,'  and  well  they  heeded  him.  Many  fell 
dead  and  wounded.  Among  the  latter  were  Colonel  Logan  and  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  White.  Oglesby's  and  Marsh's  regiments  fought  desperately, 
losing  like  other  regiments,  an  undue  proportion  of  officers. 

"  Colonel  Oglesby  displayed  coolness  and  courage  that  have  elicited 
the  highest  praise,  and  served  well  in  stimulating  his  men.  Never,  per 
haps,  on  the  American  Continent  has  a  more  bloody  battle  been  fought. 
An  oificer  who  participated  and  was  wounded  in  the  fight,  says :  '  The 
scene  beggars  decription.  So  thickly  was  the  battle-field  strewn  with 
bead  and  wounded,  that  he  could  have  traversed  acres  of  it,  treading,  at 
most  every  step,  upon  a  prostrate  body. ' 

"  The  rebels  fought  with  desperation,  their  artillerists  using  their 
pieces  with  most  fearful  effect.  On  either  side  could  be  heard  the 
voices  of  those  in  command  cheering  on  their  men.  The  four  Illinois 
regiments  held  their  ground  full  three  hours.  Nearly  one  third  had  been 
killed  or  wounded,  yet  the  balance  stood  firm." 

But  they  had  to  give  way  before  the  tremendous  odds  pre 
cipitated  against  them,  composed  of  some  of  the  choicest  troops 


OF     THE     WAR.  341 

in  the  Confederate  army.  Slowly  the  Unionists  fell  backward, 
the  shattered  regiments  being  covered  by  Colonel  W.  H.  L. 
Wallace's  brigade,  composed  of  the  Eleventh,  Twentieth, 
Forty-fifth  and  Forty-eighth,  commanded  respectively  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Hart,  and  Colonels  Marsh,  Smith,  and 
Haynie,  and  by  Arthur's  brigade.  Colonel  Croft's  brigade, 
from  General  Lew  Wallace's  division,  also  went  into  the 
fight.  These  united  forces  succeeded  in  staying  the  rebel 
advance — which  really  was  an  effort  to  turn  the  Federal  right 
wing,  and  thus  offer  a  means  for  the  garrison's  retreat. 

The  assault  of  the  enemy's  works  on  the  Federal  left  by 
General  Smith's  division,  as  already  stated,  gave  the  Union 
forces  the  upper  hand.  It  was  a  brilliantly  conducted  affair. 
General  Lanman,  with  the  Second  Iowa,  Fifty -second  and 
Twenty-fifth  Indiana,  and  Seventh  Iowa,  was  commissioned 
to  the  work.  These  fine  regiments  advanced  in  solid  column 
up  to  the  enemy's  outer  line  of  defences,  when  they  broke 
column,  and  with  a  yell  leaped  into  the  rebel  rifle-pits.  The 
contest  was  brief,  but  bloody.  The  enemy  flew  to  the  second 
line  of  defences,  dreadfully  cut  to  pieces  by  the  fire  of  the  four 
regiments,  which  had  been  reserved.  Lanman  was  accom 
panied  by  General  Smith  in  person,  whose  invincible  courage 
made  heroes  of  his  men. 

The  correspondence  between  Buckner  and  Grant  was  rather 
humorous  than  otherwise.  It  read  as  follows  : 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  DONELSON,  Feb.  18, 1862. 

"  SIR — In  consideration  of  all  the  circumstances  governing  the  present  situation 
of  affairs  at  this  station,  I  propose  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Federal  forces, 
the  appointment  of  Commissioners  to  argue  upon  terms  of  capitulation  of  the 
forces  at  this  post  under  my  command.  In  that  view  I  suggest  an  armistice  until 
twelve  o^clock  to-day. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully. 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  S.  B.  BUCKNER, 
"  Brigadier-General,  C.S.  A." 

"  To  Brigadier-General  U.  S.  GRANT,  commanding  United 
States  forces,  near  Fort  Donelson. 


342  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

"  HEADQUARTERS  ON  THE  FIELD,  FORT  DONELSON,  Feb.  16,  1862. 
"  To  General  S.  B.  BUCKNER  : 

"  SIR — Yours  of  this  date,  proposing  an  armistice  and  the  appointment  of  Com 
missioners  to  settle  on  the  terms  of  capitulation,  is  just  received. 
"  No  terms,  except  unconditional  and  immediate  surrender,  can  be  accepted. 
"  I  propose  to  move  immediately  on  your  works. 

"  I  am  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  U.  S.  GRANT, 

"  Brigadier-General  Commanding." 
"  HEADQUARTERS,  DOVER,  Tenn.,  Feb.  16,  18G2. 
"  Brigadier-General  U.  S.  GRANT,  U.  S.  A. 

«  gIR — The  distribution  of  the  forces  under  my  command,  incident  to  an  unex^ 
pected  change  of  commanders,  and  the  overwhelming  force  under  your  command, 
compel  me,  notwithstanding  the  brilliant  success  of  the  Confederate  arms,  to 
accept  the  ungenerous  and  unchivalrous  terms  which  you  propose. 

"  I  am,  sir,  your  servant, 

"  S.  B.  BUCKNER, 
V  Brigadier-General,  C.  8.  A." 

"  Ungenerous  and  unchivalrous  terms  which  you  propose ! " 
Injured  gentleman !  He  doubtless  expected  to  have  General 
Grant  give  him  a  horse  and  escort  to  the  nearest  rebel  strong 
hold — to  have  his  men  supplied  with  a  half-eagle  each  and 
rations  for  three  days,  with  sundry  other  comforts,  to  enable 
them  to  fight  somewhere  else  !  It  took  a  good  many  reverses 
to  teach  the  insolent,  unprincipled,  and  ungenerous  men,  who 
wore  Confederate  epaulettes,  that  the  North  and  Northern 
soldiers  were  no  longer  their  humble  servants,  but  their 
superiors  in  good  manners  as  well  as  in  arms. 

We  should  not  omit  the  following  good  thing  which  eman 
ated  from  the  Frankfort  (Ky.)  Commonwealth,  in  view  of  the 
rather  dubious  character  of  the  Southern  conquests  on  Ken 
tucky  soil : 

"  MY  DEAR  REBS  :  I  now  take  my  pen  in  hand  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  communion  with  you  through  the  silent  medium  of  pen  and 
paper.  I  have  just  learned  that  the  lines  are  now  open  as  far  as  Fort 
Donelson,  in  Tennessee,  and  I  avail  myself,  with  alacrity,  of  the  oppor 
tunity  now  presented  of  resuming  our  correspondence.  Your  many 
friends  in  this  section,  would  like  to  be  informed  on  various  topics — for 
instance : 

"  How  are  you,  any  how  ? 

"  How  does  '  dying  in  the  last  ditch,'  agree  with  your  general  health? 

"  How  is  the  '  Constitution'  down  your  way  ? 


OF     THE     WAR. 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  Government  ? 

"  How  is  '  King  Kotting  ? ' 

"  Is  Yancey  well,  and  able  to  eat  his  oats  ? 

"  When  will  Buckner  take  his  Christmas  dinner  in  Louisville  ? 

"  Is  Lloyd  Tilghman  still  hanging  Union  men  in  the  first  district  ? 

"  Is  Floyd  still  '  rifling '  cannon  and  other  small  arms  ? 

"  How  is  Pillow's  '  last  ditch,'  and  when  will  he  gratify  his  numerous 
friends  by  '  dying'  in  the  same  ? 

"  How  is  the  '  Southern  heart  ? ' 

"  Are  you  still  able  to  whip  five  to  one  ? 

"  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  Dutch  race  ? 

"  Did  the  recognition  of  the   S.  Confed.  by  England  and  France 
benefit  you  much  ? 

"  Where  is  the  '  Provisional  Government'  of  Kentucky,  and  what  is 
it  kept  in  ? 

"  Where  is  the  Louisville-Nashville-Bowling  Green-Courier  now  pub 
lished  ?     Say ! 

"  And  lastly,  what  do  you  think  of  yourselves  any  how  ? 

"  A  prompt  answer  will  relieve  many  anxious  hearts. 

"Yours  in  a  horn,  A  LINCOLN  MAN. 

"  United  States.  Feb.  18th,  1862." 


XXXV. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    PITTSBURGH    LANDING. 

PRESSED  out  of  Kentucky  by  the  flank  movements  up  the 
Cumberland  and  Tennessee  rivers,  the  rebels  fell  back  upon 
Clarksville,  deserting  their  boasted  stronghold  at  Bowling 
Green,  and,  soon  after,  their  reputed  "Gibraltar,"  at  Columbus 
— all  without  a  musket  being  fired  against  them.  The  fall  of 
Donelson  compelled  Johnston  to  recede  to  Nashville ;  and,  from 
thence,  to  the  South,  as  rapidly  as  was  consistent  with  the 
Southern  idea  of  "retiring."  -  Buell  came  down  with  his  well- 
organized  divisions,  occupying  Nashville,  and  preparing  to 


344  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

move  from  thence  down  upon  the  enemy,  wherever  he  was  to 
be  found.  Thomas'  fine  division  was  recalled  from  its  work 
upon  East  Tennessee  (alas  for  it !)  and  Mitchell  was  drawn 
from  Bowling  Green.  Andrew  Johnson  was  instated  as  Mili 
tary  Governor  of  Tennessee.  Grant,  moved  forward  from. 
Donelson  direct  to  the  South,  by  the  Tennessee  river,  design 
ing  to  strike  into  Northern  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  and  break 
the  railroad  connections  with  Memphis  and  the  East.  This 
would  flank  and  turn  Memphis,  compelling  its  evacuation, 
while  the  very  centres  of  the  Cotton  States  would  be  open  to 
invasion. 

In  order  to  counteract  this  invasion,  which  promised  to 
swoop  up  the  Confederacy  with  a  grand  completeness,  the 
rebels  bent  their  whole  energies  to  oppose  the  progress  of  the 
Federal  army.  General  A.  Sidney  Johnston,  as  Commander- 
in-Chief,  and  Beauregard,  as  second  in  command,  called  to 
their  aid  the  redoubtable  General  Bragg,  with  his  well-drilled 
army,  from  Pensacola ;  Price  and  Van  Dorn,  with  their  wild 
brigades  from  Arkansas  and  Texas ;  Breckenridge,  with  his 
well-ordered  brigades  of  recusant  Tennesseans  and  Kentuck- 
ians ;  Pillow  and  Floyd  with  their  forces  of  Mississippians  and 
Virginians ;  Cheatham  and  the  Eeverend  General  Polk,  with 
their  well-drilled  brigades  from  the  line  of  the  Mississippi. 
Hardee,  Hindman,  and  others,  were  also  detailed  to  the  rebel 
lines,  which  were  centered  around  Corinth,  Mississippi.  To 
fill  up  the  ranks  to  a  number  equal  to  the  work  in  hand  of 
staying  the  Federal  progress,  a  conscription  was  enforced,  by 
which  great  numbers  of  those  who  had  not  borne  arms  against 
the  Union,  were  forced  into  the  service.  Corinth  was  fortified. 
Memphis  was  strengthened  by  the  strengthening  of  the  de 
fences  above  it.  Every  appearance  seemed  to  indicate  that 
the  decisive  struggle  for  the  possession  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley  was  at  hand. 

The  Federal  Government  appreciating  the  greatness  of  the 
emergency,  prepared  for  it  by  ordering  Buell  to  join  Grant  at 
Savannah,  thence  to  move  direct  against  Corinth,  while  the 
indefatigable  Mitchell  "  sky-rocketted"  down  upon  Huntsville, 


OF     THE     WAR.  345 

Decatur,  etc.,  to  cut  off  the  railway  and  river  communication 
with  the  East.  Halleck  was  given  the  command  in  chief  of 
the  combined  forces — thus  to  bring  all  the  Federal  military 
resources  in  the  West  to  the  work  in  hand. 

It  was  not  until  late  in  March  that  Buell's  divisions  began 
to  move  out  of  Nashville  toward  Savannah  and  Pittsburgh 
Landing,  on  the  Tennessee  river — there  to  join  Grant's  forces, 
already  on  the  ground,  for  the  advance  against  Corinth. 
Buell's  forces  consisted  of  the  superbly-equipped  divisions  of 
Nelson,  Thomas,  Wood,  McCook,  Negeley  and  Crittenden — 
Mitchell  going  South  toward  Huntsville,  by  way  of  Murfrees- 
boro'  and  Fayetteville.  Grant's  forces  comprised  the  divisions 
of  McClernand,  Lew  Wallace,  W.  H.  L.  Wallace,  Prentiss, 
Hurlburt,  and  W.  T.  Sherman,  with  most  ample  equipments, 
artillery,  etc.  All  of  these  forces  were  Western  men — there 
being  not  a  single  regiment  in  that  combined  army  from  East 
of  the  Alleghanies. 

To  prevent  the  unity  of  the  forces  of  Grant  and  Buell  was 
the  suddenly  conceived  design  of  Johnston.  With  the  usual 
success,  the  rebel  commander  ascertained  the  plans  and  dispo 
sition  of  the  Federals,  and  prepared  to  strike  a  blow  at  once 
on  Grant's  divisions,  advanced  to  Pittsburgh  Landing  and 
located  in  a  semi-circle  around  the  landing,  as  a  centre.  If 
Grant  could  be  beaten  back  before  Buell  could  reinforce  him, 
the  rebels  were  sure  of  being  able  then  to  overmatch  Buell ; 
and,  if  he  was  forced  back,  the  way  was  again  opened  to 
recover  the  ground  lost  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Immense 
forces,  a  steady  hand,  a  daring  will  might  accomplish  all,  and 
these  Johnston  had. 

Grant,  advancing  his  forces  over  the  Tennessee,  only 
awaited  the  coming  up  of  Buell's  divisions  to  assail  the  enemy 
intrenched  at  Corinth.  Sherman's  division  had  the  extreme 
advance,  left  wing,  supported  by  G-eneral  Prentiss ;  McCler 
nand  held  the  left  centre ;  W.  H.  L.  Wallace  (commanding 
General  Smith's  forces)  held  the  left  right ;  Hurlburt's  fine 
brigades  formed  the  reserve ;  General  Lew  Wallace's  division 
44 


346  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

was  stationed  a.t  Crump's  Landing,  forming  the  Federal  ex 
treme  right  wing. 

The  skirmishes  of  Friday  and  Saturday  (April  4th  and  5th) 
chiefly  with  the  enemy's  cavalry,  kept  Sherman's  men  on  the 
alert.  Friday  the  Federal  pickets  were  driven  in  on  the  main 
line  of  the  division,  with  a  loss  of  one  Lieutenant  and  seven 
men,  when  Sherman  ordered  a  charge.  The  rebel  cavalry 
were,  in  turn,  driven  five  miles,  with  no  small  loss.  Saturday 
the  rebels  again  made  a  bold  push  at  the  lines,  in  considerable 
force,  and  retired  after  a  warm  reception.  These  advances 
were  but  reconnoissances  to  test  the  Federal  spirit  and  to  locate 
his  lines. 

» The  pickets  were  again  driven  in  at  an  early  hour  on  the 
morning  of  Sunday  (April  6th)— a  day  the  rebels  always 
seemed  to  choose  for  fight  when  the  choice  lay  with  them. 
Sherman  immediately  ordered  his  entire  division  to  arms,  as, 
also,  did  Prentiss  his  division — both  commanders,  it  is  ascer 
tained,  being  suspicious  of  the  impending  attempt  of  the 
enemy,  in  force.  The  troops  stood  under  arms  for  an  hour, 
when,  no  heavy  firing  occurring,  the  General  and  his  staff  rode 
to  the  front  The  enemy's  sharpshooters  picked  off  Sherman's 
orderly,  standing  near  the  General.  This  shot,  and  others 
which  rapidly  followed,  came  from  a  thicket  lining  a  small 
stream,  flowing  north  into  the  Tennessee.  Along  this  stream 
Sherman's  line  was  stretched.  Sherman  observed  that,  in  the 
valley  before  him,  the  enemy  was  forming.  He  said,  in  his 
report : 

"  About  eight  A.  M.,  I  saw  the  glistening  bayonets  of  heavy 
masses  of  infantry  to  our  left  front,  in  the  woods  beyond  the 
small  stream  alluded  to,  and  became  satisfied  for  the  first  time 
that  the  enemy  designed  a  determined  attack  on  our  whole 
camp.  All  the  regiments  of  my  division  were  then  in  line  of 
battle  at  their  proper  posts.  I  rode  to  Colonel  Appier  and 
ordered  him  to  hold  his  ground  at  all  hazards,  as  he  held  the 
left  flank  of  our  first  line  of  battle,  and  I  informed  him  that  he 
had  a  good  battery  on  his  right  and  strong  supports  to  his 


OF    THE     WAK.  347 

rear.  General  McClernand  had  promptly  and  energetically 
responded  to  my  request,  and  had  sent  me  three  regiments 
which  were  posted  to  protect  Waterhouse's  battery  and  the 
left  flank  of  my  line." 

This  shows  that  there  was  no  surprise.  McClernand  was 
informed,  as  eariy  as  half-past  six,  of  the  enemy's  presence, 
and  had  placed  his  troops  in  order  of  battle.  The  same  with 
Prentiss  and  Hurlburt — both  of  whom  were  ready  before  the 
assault  on  Sherman's  front 

It  would  be  impossible,  in  the  space  of  even  a  lengthy  chap 
ter,  to  detail  the  movements  and  events  which  followed  on 
that  most  momentous  day.  A  book  alone  would  suffice  to  tell 
the  story  in  detail.*  The  first  news  dispatched  of  the  battles 
which  reached  the  North,  gave  a  graphic,  and,  in  the  main, 
a  correct  description  of  the  two  days'  struggle.  It,  we  may 

quote  : 

"  PITTSBURG,  via  FORT  HENRY,  April  Otli,  3:20  A.  M. 

"  One  of  the  greatest  and  bloodiest  battles  of  modern  days  Las  just 
closed,  resulting  in  the  complete  rout  of  the  enemy,  who  attacked  us  at 
daybreak,  Sunday  morning. 

"  The  battle  lasted  without  intermission  during  the  entire  day,  and 
was  again  renewed  on  Monday  morning,  and  continued  undecided 
until  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  enemy  commenced  their 
retreat,  and  are  still  flying  toward  Corinth,  pursued  by  a  large  force  of 
our  cavalry. 

u  The  slaughter  on  both  sides  is  immense. 

"  The  fight  was  brought  on  by  a  body  of  three  hundred  of  the  Twen 
ty-fifth  Missouri  regiment,  of  General  Prentiss'  division,  attacking  the 
advance  guard  of  the  rebels,  which  were  supposed  to  be  the  pickets  of 
the  enemy,  in  front  of  our  camps.  The  rebels  immediately  advanced 
on  General  Prentiss'  division  on  the  left  wing,f  pouring  volley  after 
volley  of  musketry,  and  riddling  our  camps  with  grape,  canister  and 
shell.  Our  forces  soon  formed  into  line,  and  returned  their  fire  vigo- 


*  See  "Pittsburgh  Landing  and  the  Investment  of  Corinth,"  in 
Beadle's  series  of  "  American  Battles," — where  a  12mo.  of  100  pages,  is 
devoted  to  the  subject. 

f  This  account,  in  common  with  most  all  others  made  by  newspaper 
reporters,  was  incorrect  in  the  particulars  of  the  enemy's  first  advance. 
The  reader  will  find  the  correct  statement  of  the  first  assault  given  in 
our  own  version  above. 


348  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

rously  ;  but  by  the  time  we  were  prepared  to  receive  them,  they  had 
turned  their  heaviest  fire  on  the  loft  center,  Sherman's  division,  and 
drove  our  men  back  from  their  camps,  and  bringing  up  a  fresh  force, 
opened  fire  on  our  left  wing,  under  General  McClernand.  This  fire  was 
returned  with  terrible  effect  and  determined  spirit  by  both  infantry  and 
artillery  along  the  whole  line,  for  a  distance  of  over  four  miles. 

"  General  Huiiburt's  division  was  thrown  forward  to  support  the 
center,  when  a  desperate  conflict  ensued.  The  rebels  were  driven  back, 
with  terrible  slaughter,  but  soon  rallied  and  drove  back  our  men  in 
turn.  From  about  nine  o'clock,  the  time  your  correspondent  arrived 
on  the  field,  until  night  closed  on  the  bloody  scene,  there  was  no  deter 
mination  of  the  result  of  the  struggle.  The  rebel  regiments  exhibited 
remarkably  good  generalship.  At  times  engaging  the  left  with  appa 
rently  their  whole  strength,  they  would  suddenly  open  a  terrible  and 
destructive  fire  on  the  right  or  center.  Even  our  heaviest  and  most 
destructive  fire  upon  the  enemy  did  not  appear  to  discourage  their 
solid  columns.  The  fire  of  Major  Taylor's  Chicago  artillery  raked  them 
down  in  scores,  but  the  smoke  would  no  sooner  be  dispersed  than  the 
breach  would  again  be  filled. 

"  The  most  desperate  fighting  took  place  late  in  the  afternoon.  The 
rebels  knew  that  if  they  did  not  succeed  in  whipping  us  then,  that  their 
chances  for  success  would  be  extremely  doubtful,  as  a  portion  of  General 
Buell's  forces  had  by  this  time  arrived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
and  another  portion  was  coming  up  the  river  from  Savannah.  They 'be 
came  aware  that  we  were  being  reenforced,  as  they  could  see  General 
Buell's  troops  from  the  river-bank,  a  short  distance  above  us  on  the  left, 
to  which  point  they  had  forced  their  way. 

"  At  five  o'  clock  the  rebels  hajl  forced  our  left  wing  back  so  as  to  oc 
cupy  fully  two-thirds  of  our  camp,  and  were  fighting  their  way  forward 
with  a  desperate  degree  of  confidence  in  their  efforts  to  drive  us  into  the 
river,  and  at  the  same  time  heavily  engaged  our  right. 

"  Up  to  this  time  we  had  received  no  reinforcements.  General  Lew. 
Wallace  failed  to  come  to  our  support  until  the  day  was  over,  having 
taken  the  wrong  road  from  Crump's  Lauding,  and  being  without  other 
transports  than  those  used  for  Quartermasters'  and  Commissary  stores, 
which  were  too  heavily  laden  to  ferry  any  considerable  number  of  General 
Buell's  forces  across  the  river,  those  that  were  here  having  been  sent  to 
bring  up  the  troops  from  Savannah.  We  were,  therefore,  contesting 
against  fearful  odds,  our  force  not  exceeding  thirty-eight  thousand  men, 
while  that  of  the  enemy  was  upward  of  sixty  thousand. 

"  Our  condition  at  this  moment  was  extremely  critical.  Large  num 
bers  of  men  panic-stricken,  others  worn  out  by  hard  fighting,  with  the 
average  percentage  of  skulkers,  had  struggled  toward  the  river,  and  could 


OF     THE     WAIi.  £49 

not  be  rallied.  General  Grant  and  staff,  who  had  been  recklessly  riding 
along  the  linos  during  the  entire  day,  amid  the  unceasing  storm  of  bullets, 
grape  and  shell,  now  rode  from  right  to  left,  inciting  the  men  to  stand 
firm  until  our  reenforcemcnts  could  cross  the  river. 

"  Colonel  Webster,  Chief  of  staff,  immediately  got  into  position  the 
heaviest  pieces  of  artillery,  pointing  on  the  enemy's  right,  while  a  large 
number  of  the  batteries  were  planted  along  the  entire  line,  from  the 
river-bank  north-west  to  our  extreme  right,  some  two  and  a  half  miles 
distant.  About  an  hour  before  dusk  a  general  cannonading  was  open 
ed  upon  the  enemy  from  along  our  whole  line,  with  a  perpetual  crack  of 
m/usketry.  Such  a  roar  of  artillery  was  never  heard  on  this  continent. 
For  a  short  time  the  rebels  replied  with  vigor  and  effect,  but  their 
return  shots  grew  less  frequent  and  destructive,  while  ours  grew  more 
rapid  and  more  terrible. 

"  The  gunboats  Lexrinyton  and  Tyler,  which  lay  a  short  distance  off,  kept 
raining  shell  on  the  rebel  hordes.  This  last  effort  was  too  much  for  the 
enemy,  and,  ere  dusk  had  set  in,  the  firing  had  nearly  ceased,  when 
night  coming  on  all  the  combatants  rested  from  their  awful  work  of 
blood  and  carnage." 

Then  followed  a  list  of  the  loading  officers  known  to  have 
been  killed  or  wounded.  It  was  meager,  but  gavo  names 
enough  to  plunge  the  country  into  mourning.  Over  Congress 
it  threw  a  shadow  which  was  betokened  by  the  silence  reign 
ing  in  the  halls  after  the  news  was  received.  That  splendid 
array  of  the  Union  comprised  some  of  the  country's  bravest 
spirits  among  its  commanders,  and  all  dreaded  to  read  the  -lists 
which  were  hourly  looked  for  after  the  receipt  of  the  first 
news.  The  dispatch  added  :  "  There  has  never  been  a  parallel 
to  the  gallantry  and  bearing  of  our  officers,  from  the  com 
manding  General  to  the  lowest  officer.  General  Grant  and 
staff  were  in  the  field,  riding  along  the  lines  in  the  thickest  of 
the  enemy's  fire  during  the  entire  two  days  of  the  battle,  and 
all  slept  on  the  ground  Sunday  night,  during  a  heavy  rain. 
On  several  occasions  General  Grant  got  within  range  of  the 
enemy's  guns,  and  was  discovered  and  fired  upon.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  McPherson  had  his  horse  shot  from  under  him  when 
alongside  of  General  Grant.  General  Sherman  had  two  horses 
killed  under  him,  and  General  McClernand  shared  like  dan 
gers ;  also  General  Hurlburt,  each  of  whom  received  bullet- 

2E 


350  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

holes  through  their  clothes.  General  Buell  remained  with  his 
troops  during  the  entire  second  day,  and  with  General  Critten- 
den  and  General  Nelson,  rode  continually  along  the  lines  en 
couraging  the  men." 

This  refers  specially  to  the  first  day's  battle  which  closed^ 
leaving  the  enemy  in  the  camps  held  in  the  morning  by  the 
Federal  troops.  No  wonder  that  Beauregard — Johnston  being 
among  the  enemy's  fearful  list  of  slain — telegraphed  a  victory 
to  the  Confederate  arms.  To  have  given  the  Federal  advance 
a  staggering  blow — to  be  permitted  to  feast  his  half-fed  troops 
on  Federal*  rations,  and  to  rest  their  dirty  limbs  on  Federal 
blankets,  in  Federal  tents,  was  indeed  a  victory  for  them,  even 
if  the  morrow  should  find  them  hurled  back  in  confusion 
upon  their  intrenchments  and  reserves  at  Corinth.* 

The  second  day  redeemed  the  disasters  of  the  first.  Buell's 
forces  were  marching  in  divisions,  six  miles  apart.  The  ad 
vance  (Nelson's  brigades)  reached  Savannah  on  the  5th. 
There  Buell  arrived  in  person,  on  the  evening  of  the  same 
day.  Crittenden's  division  came  in  during  the  evening. 
Hearing  the  terrific  cannonading,  Buell  surmised  its  meaning 
and  ordered  forward  Nelson's  division  at  a  quick  march,  with 
out  its  train.  Ammen's  brigade  arrived  at  the  opportune  mo 
ment,  when  Grant's  forces  were  being  slowly  but  surely  press 
ed  to  the  river's  bank  after  their  whole  day's  struggle.  The 
fresh  brigades  immediately  crossed  and  walked  to  the  front 
This  arrival  gave  the  wearied  men  fresh  heart,  and  caused  the 
enemy  to  fall  back.  The  residue  of  Nelson's  division  came 
up  and  crossed  the  ferry  early  in  the  evening.  Crittenden's 
division  came  on  by  ^steamers  from  Savannah.  The  batteries 
of  Captains  Mendenhall  and  Terrell,  of  the  regular  service, 
and  Bartlett's  Ohio  battery,  also  came  up.  McCook's  division, 
by  a  forced  march,  arrived  at  Savannah  during  the  night  of 
the  6th,  and  pushing  on  immediately,  reached  the  Landing 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th. 

*  As  one  of  the  "  humors  of  the  campaign,"  we  may  mention  that  the 
Memphis  Appeal  charged  the  Monday's  defeat  of  the  rebels  to  the 
key  found,  the  night  before,  in  the  Federal  tents  ! 


OF     THE     WAR.  351 

Buell's  divisions,  taking  the  Federal  left  wing,  opened  the 
day's  work,  soon  after  five  o'clock,  when  Nelson's  division 
moved  forward  upon  the  enemy's  pickets,  driving  them  in. 
The  rebel  artillery  opened  at  six  o'clock  on  Nelson's  lines. 

Grant  gave  the  right  Federal  wing  to  General  Lew  Wallace's 
fine  division  of  fresh  men,  which  had  arrived  at  eight  o'clock 
on  the  evening  of  Sunday.  Sherman's  broken  brigades  again 
assumed  the  field,  taking  position  next  to  Wallace.  On  the 
right  the  attack  commenced  early  after  daybreak,  by  Thomp 
son's  artillery,  which  opened  on  a  rebel  battery  occupying  a 
bluff  to  the  front  and  right  of  Wallace's  First  brigade. 

The  battle  soon  became  'general  The  enemy,  during  the 
night,  had  been  reenforced  to  the  utmost  extent  consistent 
with  the  safety  of  his  defenses  at  Corinth,  and  was,  therefore, 
prepared  for  a  desperate  conflict  It  was  evident,  from  his 
fighting  that,  if  victory  was  won  by  the  Union  army,  it  must 
be  at  a  fearful  loss  of  life.  But,  the  Federals — officers  and 
men — were  resolved  upon  victory  even  at  a  sacrifice  of  half 
then-  numbers,  and  they  went  into  the  fight  with  astonishing 
alacrity. 

Wallace's  position  on  the  extreme  right  was  one  of  great 
responsibility.  But,  he  was  the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 
He  had  for  his  coadjutor  the  really  unconquerable  Sherman, 
whose  skeleton  of  a  division  was  then  as  ready  for  the  fray  as 
if  over  one  half  of  its  numbers  was  not  able  to  answer  the 
roll  call.  Observing  that  his  right  was  well  protected  by  an 
impassable  swamp  formed  by  a  creek,  (Snake,)  and  discover 
ing  that  the  rebel  left  was  open  for  a  demonstration,  Wallace 
determined  to  press  it,  if  possible  turn  it.  For  that  purpose, 
he  stated  in  his  report :  "It  became  necessary  for  me  to 
change  front  by  a  left  half- wheel  of  the  whole  division.  While 
the  movement  was  in  progress,  across  a  road  through  the 
woods  at  the  southern  end  of  the  field,  we  were  resting  by,  I 
discovered  a  heavy  column  of  rebels  going  rapidly  to  reen- 
force  their  left,  which  was  still  retiring,  covered  by  skirmish 
ers,  with  whom  mine  were  engaged.  Thompson's  battery  was 
ordered  up  and  shelled  the  passing  column  with  excellent 


852  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

effect,  but  while  so  engaged  lie  was  opened  on  by  a  full  bat 
tery  planted  in  the  field  just  beyond  the  strip  of  woods  on  the 
right.  He  promptly  turned  his  guns  at  the  new  enemy.  A 
fine  artillery  duel  ensued,  very  honorable  to  Thompson  and 
his  company.  His  ammunition  giving  out  in  the  midst  of  it, 
I  ordered  him  to  retire,  and  Lieutenant  Thurber  to  take  his 
place.  Thurber  obeyed  with  such  alacrity,  that  there  was 
scarcely  an  intermission  in  the  fire,  which  continued  so  long 
and  with  such  warmth  as  to  provoke  the  attempt  on  the  part 
of  the  rebels  to  charge  the  position.  Discovering  the  inten 
tion,  the  First  brigade  was  brought  across  the  field  to  occupy 
the  strip  of  woods  in  front  of  Thurber.  The  cavalry  made  the 
first  dash  at  the  battery,  but  the  skirmishers  of  the  Ninth 
Missouri  poured  an  unexpected  fire  into  them,  and  they  retired 
pell-mell.  Next  the  infantry  attempted  a  charge ;  the  First 
brigade  easily  repelled  >them.  All  this  time  my  whole  divi 
sion  was  under  a  furious  cannonade,  but  being  well  masked 
behind 'the  bluff,  or  resting  in  the  hollows  of  the  woods,  the 
regiments  suffered  but  little." 

This  arfair  only  stayed  the  advance  for  a  brief  period.  The 
cleared  field  in  front  was  intersected  by  a  willow-fringed 
stream.  Over  this  the  First  and  Second  brigades  now  pressed. 
The  skirmishers  in  action  all  the  way  cleared  the  rise,  and 
grouped  themselves  behind  the  ground-swells  within  seventy- 
five  yards  of  the  rebel  lines.  As  the  regiments  approached 
them,  suddenly  a  sheet  of  musketry  blazed  from  the  woods, 
and  a  battery  opened  upon  them.  About  the  same  instant, 
the  regiments  supporting  his  left  fell  hastily  back.  To  save 
his  flank  a  halt  was  ordered.  The  wavering  battalions  soon 
recovered,  when  the  two  brigades  pressed  on  with  fixed  bayo 
nets.  The  rebels  fell  back  into  the  woods,  thus  abandoning 
their  first  positions,  which  the  Federals  now  held. 

Fortune,  however,  wavered  for  a  moment  6n  the  left  of 
Wallace's  well  won  position. -  Sherman  advanced  under  cover 
of  the  three  guns  of  the  Chicago  Light  artillery,  (Company  A, 
Lieutenant  P.  P.  Wood  commanding,)  until  the  line  of  McCler- 
nand's  old  camp  was  gained,  on  the  Corinth  road.  There  lie 


OF     THE     WAE.  353 

first  met  Buell's  column  of  veterans — such  troops  as  only  a 
military  commander  of  the  truest  instincts  can  produce.  Their 
steadiness  and  precision  inspired  the  new  recruits  of  Sherman's 
brigades  with  great  confidence  and  enthusiasm.  Willich's 
famous  regiment  advanced  upon  the  enemy  lurking,  in  heavy 
force,  in  a  thicket  of  water-oaks.  The  reception  by  the  enemy 
compelled  even  the  invincible  Indiana  Thirty-second  to  retire 
before  it.  The  fire  of  musketry  was  perfectly  astounding, 
and  Colonel  Willich  came  from  the  wood  with  sadly  riddled 
ranks.  It  was  evident  that  there  was  to  be  the  great  struggle 
of  the  day.  Into  the  thicket,  to  support  Buell's  forces,  Sher 
man  now  led  his  men.  He  says  :  "  The  enemy  had  one  bat 
tery  close  to  Shiloh,  and  another  near  the  Hamburg  road,  both 
pouring  grape  and  canister  upon  my  column  of  troops  that 
advanced  upon  the  green  point  of  water-oaks.  Willich's  regi 
ment  had  been  repulsed,  but  a  whole  brigade  of  McCook's 
division  advanced  beautifully,  deployed  and  entered  this 
dreaded  wood.  I  ordered  my  Second  brigade,  then  com 
manded  by  Colonel  T.  Kilby  Smith,  (Colonel  Stuart  being 
wounded,)  to  form  on  its  right,  and  my  Fourth  brigade,  Colonel 
Buckland,  on  its  left,  all  to  advance  abreast,  with  the  Ken 
tucky  brigade  before  mentioned,  (Eosseau's.)  I  gave  personal 
direction  to  the  twenty-four-pounder  guns,  whose  fire  soon 
silenced  the  enemy's  guns  to  the  left,  and  at  the  Shiloh  meet 
ing  House.  Eosseau's  brigade  moved  in  splendid  order  stea 
dily  to  the  front,  sweeping  everything  before  it,  and  at  four 
P.  M.  stood  upon  the  ground  of  our  original  front  line.  The 
enemy  was  then  in  full  retreat." 

This  states  a  splendid  achievement  in  very  modest  terms. 
It  was  one  of  the  most  severe  and  hotly  contested  sections  of 
the  field,  where  Beauregard  commanded  in  person  and  was 
supported  by  the  divisions  of  Bragg,  Polk  and  Breckenridge. 

Thus  far  for  the  fortunes  of  the  Federal  right  The  center, 
under  McClernand's  command,  was  .engaged  from  the  first 
moment  with  great  obstinacy.  Finding  Buell  gaming  ground 
on  the  left,  while  the  right  was  slowly  advancing,  the  enemy 
threw  his  greatest  strength  in  several  assaults  upon  the  center, 
45  2s2 


354:  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

hoping  to  force  it  and  thus  retrieve  the  day.  But  McCler- 
nand's  men  were  invincible.  Hurlburt's  somewhat  thinned, 
but  still  resolute  ranks  moved  up  to  his  support,  taking  his 
left.  There  the  obstinacy  of  the  fight,  at  times,  was  not  paral 
leled  on  the  field.  The  two  contestants  seemed  equally 
resolved  not  to  yield  a  rood  of  ground.  One  who  was  present, 
•on  this  portion  of  the  field,  wrote  : 

"  It  now  became  evident  that  the  rebels  were  avoiding  the  extreme 
of  the  left  wing,  and  endeavoring  to  find  some  weak  point  in  the  lines 
by  which  to  turn  our  force,  and  thus  create  an  irrevocable  confusion. 
It  is  wonderful  with  what  perseverance  and  determination  they  adhered 
to  this  purpose.  They  left  one  point  but  to  return  to  it  immediately, 
and  then  as  suddenly  would,  by  some  masterly  stroke  of  generalship, 
direct  a  most  vigorous  assault  upon  some  division  where  they  fancied 
they  would  not  be  expected.  The  fire  of  our  lines  was  steady  as  clock 
work,  and  it  soon  became  evident  that  the  enemy  almost  considered  the 
task  they  had  undertaken  a  hopeless  one.  Notwithstanding  the  con 
tinued  rebuff  of  the  rebels  wherever  they  had  made  their  assaults,  up 
to  two  o'clock  they  had  given  no  evidence  of  retiring  from  the  field. 
Their  firing  had  been  as  rapid  and  vigorous  at  times  as  during  the 
most  terrible  hours  of  the  previous  day,  yet  not  so  well  confined  to  one 
point  of  attack." 

Hurlburt's  forces,  Second  and  Third  brigades,  were  also 
doing  great  service  in  another  part  of  the  field,  on  the  left, 
where,  by  their  undaunted  bravery,  they  contributed  to  the 
complete  success  of  the  day.  Hurlburt  thus  chronicled  the 
doings  of  his  brigades  : 

"  The  Second  brigade  led  the  charge  ordered  by  General  Grant  until 
recalled  by  Major- General  Buell.  The  Third  brigade  was  deeply  and 
fiercely  engaged  on  the  right  of  General  McClernand,  successfully  stop 
ping  a  movement  to  flank  his  right,  and  holding  their  ground  until 
the  firing  ceased.  About  one  o'clock  of  that  day,  (Monday,)  General 
McCook  having  closed  up  with  General  McClernand,  and  the  enemy 
demonstrating  in  great  force  on  the  left,  I  went,  by  the  request  of  Gen 
eral  McClernand,  to  the  rear  of  his  line  to  bring  up  fresh  troops,  and 
was  engaged  in  pressing  them  forward  until  the  steady  advance  of 
General  Buell  on  the  extreme  left,  the  firmness  of  the  center,  and  the 
closing  in  from  the  right  of  Generals  Sherman  and  Wallace  determined 
the  success  of  the  day,  when  I  called  in  my  exhausted  brigades,  and  led 
them  to  their  camps.  The  ground  was  such  on  Sunday  that  I  was  un 
able  to  use  cavalry.  Colonel  Taylor's  Fifth  Ohio  cavalry  was  drawn 


OF    THE     WAR.  355 

up  in  order  of  battle  until  near  one  o'clock  in  the  hope  that  some  open 
ing  might  offer  for  the  use  of  this  arm.  None  appearing,  I  ordered  the 
command  to  be  withdrawn  from  the  reach  of  shot." 

Wallace,  after  having  forced  the  rebels  back  into  their 
centre,  pushed  in  upon  them  again  by  an  oblique  movement. 
This  exposed  his  right  flank,  temporarily,  when  the  Confeder 
ates  suddenly  threw  their  cavalry  upon  the  right.  The  Twenty- 
third  Indiana  and  one  company  of  the  First  Nebraska,  kept 
the  enemy  at  bay  until  reserves  came  up,  when  a  most  obsti 
nate  conflict  followed,  and  the  rebels,  bringing  six  or  seven 
regiments  immediately  forward — their  aim  being  to  cut 
Wallace  off  from  the  army  line,  and  thus  "bag  him,''  as  Pren- 
tiss  was  bagged  the  day  previous.  As  an  evidence  of  fighting 
done  there,  we  may  recur  to  the  words  of  the  General : 

"  Pending  this  struggle,  Colonel  Thayer  pushed  on  his  command,  and 
entered  the  woods,  assaulting  the  enemy  simultaneously  with  Colonel 
Smith.  Here  the  Fifty-eighth  Ohio  and  Twenty-third  Indiana  proved 
themselves  fit  comrades  in  battle  with  the  noble  Nebraska  First.  Here 
also  the  Seventy-sixth  Ohio  won  a  brilliant  fame.  The  First  Nebraska 
fired  away  its  last  cartridge  in  the  action.  At  a  word  the  Seventy-sixth 
Ohio  rushed  in  and  took  its  place.  Off  to  the  right,  in  the  meanwhile, 
arose  the  music  of  the  Twentieth  and  Seventy-eighth  Ohio,  fighting 
gallantly  in  support  of  Thurber,  to.  whom  the  sound  of  rebel  cannon 
seemed  a  challenge  no  sooner  heard  than  accepted. 

"  From  the  time  the  wood  was  entered,  forward  was  the  only  order. 
And  step  by  step,  from  tree  to  tree,  position  to  position,  the  rebel  lines 
went  back,  never  stopping  again — infantry,  horse  and  artillery,  all  went 
back.  The  firing  was  grand  and  terrible.  Before  us  was  the  Crescent 
regiment  of  New  Orleans  ;  shelling  us  on  the  right  was  the  Washington 
Artillery,  of  Manassas  renown,  whose  last  stand  was  in  front  of  Colonel 
Whittlesey's  command.  To  and  fro,  now  in  my  front,  then  in  Sher 
man's,  rode  General  Beauregard,  inciting  his  troops,  and  fighting  foj 
his  fading  prestige  of  invincibility.  The  desperation  of  the  struggle 
may  be  easily  imagined. 

"  While  this  was  in  progress,  far  along  the  lines  to  the  left  the  con 
test  was  raging  with  equal  obstinacy.  As  indicated  by  the  sounds, 
however,  the  enemy  seemed  retiring  everywhere.  Cheer  after  cheer 
rung  through  the  woods.  Each  man  felt  the  day  was  ours. 

"  About  four  o'clock,  the  enemy  to  my  front  broke  into  rout,  and  ran 
through  the  camps  occupied  by  General  Sherman  on  Sunday  morning. 
Their  own  camp  had  been  established  about  two  miles  beyond.  There, 


356  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

without  halting,  they  fired  tents,  stores,  etc.  Throwing  oub  the  wound 
ed,  they  filled  their  wagons  full  of  arms,  (Springfield  muskets  and  En- 
field  rifles,)  ingloriously  thrown  away  by  some  of  our  troops  the  day 
before,  and  hurried  on.  After  following  them  until  nearly  nightfall,  I 
brought  my  division  back  to  Owl  Creek,  and  bivouacked  it." 

Buell,  with  Nelson's  and  Crittenden's  divisions,  pressed 
into  the  enemy's  right  as  obstinately  as  Wallace  had  pressed 
their  extreme  left.  Buell  thus  briefly  states  the  important 
services  of  his  command  : 

"  Ammen's  brigade,  which  was  on  the  left,  advanced  in  good  order 
upon  the  enemy's  right,  but  was  checked  for  some  time  by  his  endeavor 
to  turn  our  left  flank,  and  by  his  strong  center  .attack  in  front.  Cap 
tain  Terrell,  who,  in  the  mean  time,  had  taken  an  advanced  position, 
was  compelled  to  retire,  leaving  one  caisson^  of  which  every  horse  was 
killed  or  wounded.  It  was  very  soon  recovered.  Having  been  reen- 
forced  by  a  regiment  from  General  Boyle's  brigade,  Nelson's  division 
again  moved  forward,  and  forced  the  enemy  to  abandon  entirely  his 
position.  This  success  flanked  the  enemy  at  his  second  and  third  bat 
teries,  from  which  he  was  soon  driven,  with  the  loss  of  several  pieces 
of  artillery  by  the  concentrated  fire  of  Terrell's  and  Mendenhall's  bat 
teries,  and  an  attack  from  Crittenden's  division  in  front.  The  enemy 
made  a  second  stand  some  eight  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  this  position, 
and  opened  fire  with  his  artillery.  Mendenhall's  battery  was  thrown 
forward,  silenced  the  battery,  and  it  was  captured  by  Crittenden's  divi 
sion,  the  enemy  retreating  from  it.  In  the  mean  time,  the  division  of 
General  McCook  on  the  right,  which  became  engaged  somewhat  later 
in  the  morning*  than  the  division  on  the  left,  had  made  steady  progress, 
until  it  drove  the  enemy's  left  from  the  hotly-contested  field.  The 
action  was  commenced  in  this  division  by  General  Rosseau's  brigade, 
which  drove  the  enemy  in  front  of  it  from  his  first  position,  and  cap 
tured  a  battery.  The  line  of  attack  of  this  division  caused  a  consider 
able  widening  of  the  space  between  it  and  Crittenden's  right.  It  was 
also  outflanked  on  its  right  by  the  line  of  the  enemy,  who  made  repeat 
ed  strong  attacks  on  its  flanks,  but  was  always  gallantly  repulsed.  The 
enemy  made  his  last  decided  stand  in  front  of  this  division,  in  the 
woods  beyond  Sherman's  camp." 

Johnston  having  been  killed,  Beauregard  was  in  chief  com 
mand.  Everywhere  along  his  lines  rode  that  leader,  striving 
by  appeal,  command,  exposure  of  his  own  person,  to  arrest  the 


OF     THE     WAK.  357 

tide  of  defeat,  but  to  no  purpose.*  The  steady  flank  advances 
of  the  Federal  wings — the  solidity  of  their  centre,  rendered  it 
necessary  to  "retire,"  if  he  would  not  be  cut  off  entirely  from 
retreat.  His  baffled  and  somewhat  dispirited  brigades  fell 
back  slowly,  gathering,  in  good  order,  in  upon  the  Corinth 
road,  which,  in  all  the  fortunes  of  the  two  day's  fight,  had  been 
carefully  secured  from  any  approach  of  the  Unionists.  The 
retreat  has  been  described  as  a  rout,  but  such  it  was  not  to  any 
great  degree.  Some  regiments  threw  away  their  arms,  blan 
kets,  etc.,  from  exhaustion,  and  a  reckless  disregard  of  orders; 
while  the  great  numbers  of  killed,  wounded  and  exhausted,  so 
absorbed  even  the  transport  wagons,  as  to  compel  the  enemy 
to  leave  behind  much  of  his  carnp  equipage  and  some  of  his 
guns. 

The  pursuit  was  feeble.  The  nature  of  the  woods  restrained 
the  cavalry  in  their  movements,  and  rendered  them  compara 
tively  useless.  Three  thousand  finely-mounted  fellows  had 
waited,  for  two  days,  an  opportunity  to  ride  into  the  conflict ; 
and  the  order,  late  in  the  day  of  Monday,  to  pursue  and  harass 
the  enemy,  gave  them  but  a  brief  service.  The  infantry 
pushed  forward  only  for  a  mile  or  two.  Colonel  Wagner's 
brigade  of  General  Wood's  division,  arrived  late  in  the  day, 
and  was  given  the  order  to  advance  to  the  front  for  the  pur 
suit  ;  but  Buell  knew  so  little  of  the  topography  of  the  country 
that  he  considered  it  hazardous  to  penetrate  too  far  into  the 
enemy's  midst.  This  neglect  to  press  the  retreating  foe  gave 

*  To  show  what  importance  Johnston  attached  to  the  impending 
battle,  we  may  quote  from  his  address  to  his  army,  dated  April  3d  : 

u  SOLDIERS  :  I  have  put  you  in  motion  to  offer  battle  to  the  invaders 
of  your  country,  with  the  resolution,  discipline  and  valor  becoming  men 
fighting,  as  you  are,  for  all  worth  living  and  dying  for.  You  can  but 
march  to  a  decided  victory  over  agrarian  mercenaries,  sent  to  subjugate 
you  and  to  despoil  you  of  your  liberties,  property  and  honor. 

"  Remember  the  precious  stake  involved !  Remember  the  depen 
dence  of  your  mothers,  your  wives,  your  sisters  and  your  children  on  the 
result !  Remember  the  fair,  broad,  abounding  lands,  the  happy  homes 
that  will  be  desolated  by  your  defeat !  The  eyes  and  hopes  of  eight  mil 
lions  of  people  rest  upon  you !"  etc.,  etc. 


358  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

them  the  poor  consolation  of  pronouncing  their  effort  to  stay 
the  Federal  advance  h  success,  aricl  thereupon  a  victory.  The 
press  of  the  South  quite  generally  heralded  it  as  a  great 
triumph  for  the  Confederates !  They  needed  some  crumb  of 
comfort  to  console  them  for  the  loss  of  Island  No.  10,  which 
General  Pope's  masterly  strategy  and  Commodore  Foote's 
"  irrepressible"  guns  gave  to  the  Federal  arms,  with  all  its  gar 
rison,  armaments,  stores,  etc.,  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  of 
April 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    PITTSBUEGH    LANDING 
BATTLE. 

THE  field  was  strewn  with  the  wounded  and  the  dead.  No 
time  offered  for  the  wounded  to  be  cared  for  by  their  fellows, 
though,  on  the  second  day,  as  the  Unionists  advanced,  the 
surgeons  cante  on  and  did  their  duty  manfully  and  well. 
Friend  and  foe  were  treated  alike.  Captain  Jackson,  of  Gen 
eral  Grant's  staff,  wrote :  "  The  field  presented  a  sorry  spectacle. 
It  extended  over  a  distance  of  five  miles  in  length  and  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  width.  This  space  was  fought  over 
twice,  in  regular  battle-array,  and  many  times  in  the  fluctuat 
ing  fortunes  of  the  different  portions  of  the  two  armies.  It 
was  covered  with  dead  and  wounded.  Where  the  artillery 
had  taken  effect,  men  lay  in  heaps,  covering  rods  of  ground, 
mingled  in  wild  masses  of  mangled  horses,  broken  gun-carriages 
and  all  the  dread  debris  of  a  battle-field.  Where  our  men  had 
made  their  desperate  charges,  the  bodies  lay  in  rows  as  they 
had  received  the  bayonet,  constituting,  at  particular  points, 


OF     THE     WAR.  359 

parapets  of  flesh  and  blood,  over  which  a  battle  might  have 
been  fought,  as  over  a  breast- work.  Not  a  tree  or  a  sapling  in 
that  whole  space  which  was  not  pierced  through  and  through 
with  cannon-shot  and  musket-balls,  and,  if  we  may  believe  the 
accounts,  there  was  scarcely  a  rod  of  ground  on  the  five  miles 
which  did  not  have  a  dead  or  wounded  man  upon  it" 

The  struggle  was  of  that  character  which  made  men  forget 
ful  of  self.  Every  man  seemed  infused  with  only  one  thought, 
to  kill  as  many  as  possible.  One  who  was  on  the  ground 
wrote  of  this  obstinacy  of  both  parties  : 

"  On  Sunday,  especially,  several  portions  of  the  ground  were  fought 
over  three  and  four  times,  and  the  two  lines  swayed  backward  and  for 
ward,  like  advancing  and  retreating  waves.  In  repeated  instances, 
rebel  and  Union  soldiers,  protected  by  the  trees,  were  within  thirty  feet 
of  each  other.  The  rebels  derisively  shouted  '  Bull  Run,'  and  our  men 
returned  the  taunt  by  crying  '  Donelson.'  Many  of  the  camps,  as  they 
were  lost  and  won,  lost  again,  and  retaken,  received  showers  of  balls. 
At  the  close  of  the  fight.  General  McClernand's  tent  contained  twenty- 
seven  bullet-holes,  and  his  Adjutant's  thirty -two.  Chairs,  tables,  mess- 
pans,  camp-kettles,  and  other  articles  of  camp  furniture  were  riddled. 
In  the  Adjutant's  tent,  when  our  forces  recaptured  it,  the  body  of  a 
rebel  was  found  in  a  sitting  position.  He  had  evidently  stopped  for  a 
moment's  rest,  when  a  ball  struck  and  killed  him.  In  one  tree  I  have 
counted  sixty  bullet-holes.  Another  tree,  not  more  than  eighteen  inches 
in  diameter,  which  was  in  front  of  General  Lew  Wallace's  division,  bears 
the  mark  of  more  than  ninety  balls,  within  ten  feet  of  the  ground.  On 
Sunday,  Company  A,  of  the  Forty-ninth  Illinois,  lost  from  one  volley 
twenty-nine  men,  including  three  officers ;  and,  on  Monday  morning, 
the  company  appeared  on  the  ground  commanded  by  a  Second  Sergeant. 
General  McClernand's  Third  Brigade,  which  was  led  by  Colonel  Raith, 
until  he  was  mortally  wounded,  changed  commanders  three  times  dur 
ing  the  battle.  On  Monday  morning,  one  of  General  Hurlburt's  regi 
ments  (the  Third  Iowa)  was  commanded  by  a  First  Lieutenant,  and 
others  were  in  command  of  Captains." 

Such  statements  would  be  discredited  were  they  not  con 
firmed  by  those  of  other  writers  who  have  visited  the  field. 
They  serve  to  prove  how  appalling  must  have  been  the  slaugh 
ter,  and  yet  out  of  the  awful  picture  how  the  one  great  fact 
stands  forth  in  a  halo  of  glory — that  of  the  courage  of  the 
Northern  men  I  Such  courage  has  its  elements  of  sublimity 


360  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

which  would  immortalize  any  other  people.  But  of  Americana 
it  is  expected,  and  therefore,  will  not  especially  be  noted  by 
writers  on  the  war.  The  correspondent  above  referred  to  says 
of  the  personal  bearing  and  hair-breadth  escapes  of  some  of  the 
commanders  : 

"  General  Grant  is  an  illustration  of  the  fortune  through  which  some 
men,  in  the  thickest  showers  of  bullets,  always  escape.  He  has  partici 
pated  in  two  skirmishes  and  fourteen  pitched  battles,  and  is  universally 
pronounced,  by  those  who  have  seen  him  on  the  field,  daring  even  to 
rashness  ;  but  he  has  never  received  a  scratch.  At  four  o'clock  on  Sun 
day  evening,  he  was  sitting  upon  his  horse,  just  in  the  rear  of  our  line 
of  batteries,  when  Captain  Carson,  the  scout  who  had  reported  to  him 
a  moment  before,  had  fallen  back,  and  was  holding  his  horse  by  the 
bridle,  about  seven  feet  behind  him — a  six-pound  shot,  which  flew  very 
near  General  Grant,  carried  away  all  Carson's  .head,  except  a  portion 
of  the  chin,  passed  just  behind  Lieutenant  Graves,  volunteer  aid  to 
General  "Wilson,  tearing  away  the  cantle  of  his  saddle,  cutting  his 
clothing  but  not  injuring  him,  and  then  took  off  the  legs  of  a  soldier  in 
one  of  General  Nelson's  regiments,  which  were  just  ascending  the  bluff. 

"  About  the  same  hour,  further  up  to  the  right,  General  Sherman, 
who  had  been  standing  for  a  moment,  while  Major  Hammond,  his  chief 
of  staff,  was  holding  his  bridle,  remounted.  By  the  prancing  of  his 
horse,  as  he  mounted,  Generaf  Sherman's  reins  were  thrown  over  his 
neck,  and  he  was  leaning  forward  in  the  saddle,  with  his  head  lowered, 
while  Major  Hammond  was  bringing  them  back  over  his  head,  when  a 
rifle-ball  struck  the  line  in  Major  Hammond's  hand,  severing  it  within 
two  inches  of  his  fingers,  and  passing  through  the  top  and  back  of 
General  Sherman's  hat.  Had  he  been  sitting  upright  it  would  have 
struck  his  head.  At  another  time  a  ball  struck  General  Sherman  on  the 
shoulder,  but  his  metallic  shoulder-strap  warded  it  off.  With  a  third 
he  was  less  fortunate,  for  it  passed  through  his  hand  ;  but  now  he  has 
nearly  recovered  from  the  wound.  General  Sherman  had  three  horses 
shot  under  him,  two  with  three  balls  each,  and  the  last  with  two.  It 
is  the  universal  testimony  that  he  manoeuvered  his  troops  admirably, 
and  that  he  is  the  hero  of  the  battle.  His  nomination  to  a  Major- 
'  Generalship  is  a  deserved  tribute  to  one  of  the  best  officers  in  our 
service. 

"  General  Hurlburt  had  a  six-pound  shot  pass  between  his  horse's 
head  and  his  arm ;  a  bullet  passed  through  his  horse's  mane,  and  one 
of  his  horses  was  killed  under  him.  Lieutenants  Dorchester  and  Long, 
of  his  staff,  each  had  several  bullets  and  pieces  of  shell  strike  their  cloth 
ing.  Lieutenant  Tesilian,  of  General  McClernand's  staff,  had  his  cloth- 


OF     THE     WAR.  361 

ing  perforated  by  five  balls,  without  receiving  a  wound.  Major  Ham 
mond,  of  General  Sherman's  staff,  had  his  cap  cut  by  two  bullets,  and 
his  boots  by  two,  and  two  horses  shot  under  him,  but  he  escaped  unin 
jured.  A  private  in  the  Seventeenth  Illinois  had  two  of  his  front  teeth 
knocked  out  by  a  bullet,  which,  though  it  entered  his  mouth,  did  him 
no  further  injury.  A  rifle -ball  struck  the  temple  of  another  private, 
near  his  right  ear,  passed  through  his  head,  and  came  out  near  the  left 
ear ;  but  he  is  recovering.  Lieutenant  Charles  Provost,  of  the  First 
Nebraska,  received  a  bullet  in  the  clasp  of  his  sword-belt,  and  was  after 
ward  knocked  down  by  the  windage  of  a  cannon-ball,  but  was  not 
injured." 

Of  Buell's  conduct,  one  of  his  men  wrote  in  these  enthusiastic 
terms  :  "I  wish  you  could  have  seen  the  gallantry,  the  bravery, 
the  dauntless  daring,  the  coolness  of  General  Buell.  He 
seemed  to  be  omnipresent.  If  ever  man  was  qualified  to  com 
mand  an  army,  it  is  he.  He  is  a  great,  a  very  great  General, 
and  has  proved  himself  so ;  not  only  in  organizing  and  dis 
ciplining  an  army,  but  in  handling  it.  General  Buell  had  his 
horse  shot  under  him.  Captain  Wright,  his  Aid,  had.  the 
visor  of  his  cap  touched  by  a  ball." 

The  fighting  of  not  only  regiments,  but  of  individuals,  af 
forded  so  many  instances  of  remarkable  courage,  devotion  and 
endurance,  as  to  make  the  record  one  of  extraordinary  though 
painful  interest.  "  Bach  man  fought,"  said  one  of  the  news 
paper  correspondents  from  the  bloody  field,  "as  if  success  or 
defeat  depended  on  his  own  right  arm ;  and  charge  after  charge 
was  made  upon  the  rebels  to  regain  the  ground  we  had  lost 
They  stood  firm  as  a  rock ;  and  though  our  artillery  often 
swept  down  their  ranks  and  left  fearful  gaps  in  their  columns, 
they  manifested  no  trepidation,  nor  did  they  waver  for  a  mo 
ment.  The  living  supplied  the  place  of  the  dead.  The 
musket  that  had  fallen  from  a  lifeless  hand  was  seized  at  once, 
and  the  horrid  strife  swept  on  as  before.  The  -force  of  the 
enemy  appeared  increasing,  and  where  the  greatest  havoc  was 
made,  there  the  strongest  opposition  was  shown.  Hand-to- 
hand  contests  were  innumerable.  Every  struggle  was  for  life. 
Quarter  was  asked  on  neither  side,  and  the  ground  drank  up 
the  blood  of  hundreds  of  brave  fellows  every  hour.  Men  lost 
46  2F 


362  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

their  semblance  of  humanity,  and  the  spirit  of  the  demon 
shone  in  their  faces.  There  was  but  one  desire,  and  that  was 
to  destroy.  There  was  little  shouting.  The  warriors  were  too 
much  in  earnest.  They  set  their  teeth  firm,  and  strained  every 
nerve  to  its  utmost  tension.  Death  lost  all  its  terrors,  and  men 
seemed  to  feed  upon  the  sight  of  blood." 

Of  such  ghastly  features  is  the  "  grim  front  of  war  ;"  only 
the  reality  is  more  painful,  more  horrible  than  words  can 
express.  Men  to  contemplate  it  with  serenity  must  be  demons 
indeed,  or  else  they  must  be  mastered  by  emotions  higher  and 
nobler  than  love  of  life  or  self — the  love  of  a  cause  which 
Heaven  consecrates. 

One  of  General  Buell's  manoeuvres,  characteristic  of  his  off- 
hand  and  reliable  way  of  meeting  exigencies,  is  happily  illus 
trated  in  the  following  : 

"  They  were  advancing  in  great  force  to  turn  our  left  and  capture  our 
transports  and  supplies,  when  Buell,  becoming  aware  of  their  intentions, 
made  preparations  to  receive  them.  About  half  a  mile  above  the  Land 
ing  are  two  large  ridges  running  back  from  the  river.  The  ridge  next 
to  the  Landing  is  the  highest.  Buell  placed  a  battery  on  each  of  the 
ridges,  and  between  them  he  placed  a  brigade  of  infantry.  The  troops 
were  ordered  to  lie  down.  He  then  ordered  the  lower  battery  to  fire  on 
the  enemy  and  make  a  show  of  retreating  in  confusion,  so  to  draw  the 
rebels  on.  On  came  the  rebels  pell-mell,  yelling  at  the  top  of  their  voices, 
'Ball  Run !  Bull  Run  ! '  thinking  to  frighten  us.  As  soon  as  the  rebels 
came  in  range,  the  lower  battery,  agreeably  to  orders,  opened  fire,  re 
treated,  and  took  a  position  in  the  rear  of  the  upper  battery.  The  rebels, 
seeing  our  men  retreating,  charged  up  the  hill  and  took  possession  of  the 
battery.  The  rebels,  in  the  mean  time,  were  not  aware  of  our  troops  be 
ing  in  the  hollow  below  them.  At  this  moment  the  signal  was  sounded, 
and  the  whole  brigade  rose  to  their  feet  and  poured  a  deadly  fire  of 
rifle-balls  into  the  ranks  of  the  rebels,  cutting  them  down  by  scores. 
At  this  favorable  moment,  also,  the  upper  battery  poured  in  a  perfect 
storm  of  grape  and  canister  shot.  The  rebels  reeled  and  staggered  like 
drunken  men,  and  at  last  broke  and  fled  in  every  direction,  leaving  the 
ground  strewed,  with  dead  and  dying." 


OF    THE    WAK. 


The  losses  of  the  Union  forces  in  the  two  days  struggle  have 
been  set  down  at  13,508,  distributed  as  follows : 


GRAN  T'S    ARMY. 


DIVISIONS. 

1 — General  McClernand, 

2— General  W.  H.  L.  Wallace, 

3— General  Lew  Wallace, 

4 — General  Hurlburt, 

5 — General  Sherman, 

6 — General  Prentiss, 


Total, 


2 — General  McCook, 
4 — General  Nelson, 
6 — General  Crittenden, 

Total, 
Grand  Total, 


KILLED. 

251 
228 
43 
313 
318 
196 

1,349 


•WOUNDED. 

1,351 
1,033 

257 
1,449 
1,275 

562 


5,927 


BUELL'S    ARMY. 


95 

90 
80 

265 


793 
591 
410 


1,614 


1,794 
7,721 


MISSING. 

236 

1,163 

5 

223 

441 

1,802 

3,870 


8 

58 
27 

93 
3,963 


TOTAL. 

1,848 
2,424 
305 
1,985 
2,034 
2,760 

11,356 


896 
739 
517 

2,152 
13,508 


That  of  the  enemy  in  killed  and  wounded  was  much  greater 
than  the  Union  loss.  Of  the  rebel  losses  no  authentic  data 
probably  ever  will  be  furnished.  The  Sunday's  fight  they 
could  report  upon  and  not  upon  that  of  Monday,  where  they 
were  compelled  to  leave  their  dead  upon  the  field,  from  which 
they  were  driven.  After  Monday's  fight,  General  McCler- 
nand's  division  buried  the  remains  of  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  rebels  left  upon  the  field,  General  Sherman's,  six  hun 
dred,  General  Nelson's,  two  hundred  and  sixty-three,  and  Colo 
nel's  Thayer's  brigade  of  General  Lew  Wallace's  division,  one 
hundred  and  twenty- three.  These  were  the  only  commands 
from  which  returns  were  received  ;  but  the  most  of  the  other 
divisions  and  brigades  buried  a  proportionate  number.  The 
rebels  must  have  lost  four  thousand  killed,  by  the  most  mode 
rate  estimate.  After  the  battle,  Captain  Eussell  of  the  Sixth 
Ohio  counted  the  bodies  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  rebels, 
lying  where  they  fell,  upon  a  strip  of  land  less  than  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  long,  and  fifty  yards  in  width.  Eleven  of  them,  in 
front,  had  fallen  nearly  in  line,  about  five  paces  apart,  and  were 
evidently  skirmishers.  Colonel  Thayer  of  the  First  Nebraska, 


364  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

in  another  portion  of  the  field,  opposite  General  Sherman's 
division,  counted  thirty-seven  dead  rebels,  side  by  side,  who 
had  evidently  been  killed  while  in  line  of  battle,  by  a  single 
volley.  Sixty-eight  were  counted  in  front  of  the  ground  held 
by  the  Forty-eighth  Ohio,  and  eighty -five  in  front  of  the  Sev 
enty-second  Ohio.  A  detail  of  men  from  General  McCook's 
division  buried  in  a  single  trench  one  hundred  and  forty-seven, 
including  three  Lieutenant-Colonels  and  four  Majors.  A  tab 
ular  statement  published  in  the  Memphis  Argus,  April  24th, 
confessed  to  nine  hundred  and  twenty-seven  killed,  four  thou 
sand  four  hundred  and  seventy-one  wounded  and  three  hun 
dred  and  sixty-one  missing.  As  this  statement  was  but  frag 
mentary,  and  "  daily  additions  were  being  made  to  the  list," 
it  was  only  valuable  for  showing  what  regiments  were  in  the 
engagement.  They,  were  (so  far  as  named  :)  One  hundred 
and  fifty-fourth  Tennessee;  Fifteenth  Tennessee;  Blythe's 
"  Mississippi ;"  Breckenridge's  brigade  ;  Eleventh,  First,  Thir 
teenth  and  Fourth  Louisiana  ;  Second,  Fourth,  Forty-seventh, 
Sixth,  First,  Twenty-second,  Thirteenth,  Fifth,  Twentieth, 
Nineteenth,  Twenty-eighth,  Forty-fifth  and  Thirty -third  Ten 
nessee  ;  Twentieth,  Twenty-second,  Twenty-fifth  and  Sixteenth 
Alabama;  First  and  Thirteenth  Arkansas;  Seventh  Ken 
tucky  ;  Fifteenth  and  Twenty-second  Mississippi ;  First  Mis 
souri  ;  Folk's,  Banks' .  and  Stamford's  batteries ;  Forrest's 
cavalry,  &c.,  &c.  Several  companies  of  Texan  rangers  were 
also  engaged  in  the  fight. 

Bearing  on  the  enemy's  losses  we  may  cite  the  dispatch  of 
Beauregard  to  Adjutant-General  Cooper,  of  the  Confederate 
army  establishment.  That  dispatch  was  intercepted  by  Gene 
ral  Mitchell  in  his  rapid  and  unexpected  descent  on  Hunts- 
ville,  Alabama,  where  the  telegraph  office  was  seized  In  its 
freshly -booked  business  file  was  found  the  following  : 

"CORINTH,  April  9th". 
"  To  General  Samuel  Cooper,  Richmond,  Va.1: 

"  All  present  probabilities  are  that  whenever  the  enemy  moves  on  this 
position  he  will  do  so  with  an  overwhelming  force  of  not  less  than 
vrzole  xriy  lohkjnap  men,  by  wna  ahc  vkjlyi  hate  nqnkl  lorite  xrmy 
lohkjuap  yx31  wlrrnqj  mna  phia  may  possibly  shrakj  ran  xyc  pncjcrlo 


OF     THE     WAR.  365 

nghkl  xrlly  5a  1  olikjnap  vlimy.  Can  we  not  be  reinforced  xrh.a  dy  vgzilhaj 
nivc.  If  defeated  here  cy  thjy  lov  vrjq  mnt  3yc  nap  dchqn4te  hki  wnkjy 
whereas  we  could  even  afford  to  lose  for  a  while  wonilyjlha  nap  imnzuSyl 
for  the  purpose  of  defeating  qkyt4j  nive,  which  would  not  only  insure 
us  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  but  our  independence. 

P.  G.  T.  BEAUREGARD.  " 

The  "astronomer  General"  was  not  long  in  deciphering  this. 
He  had  studied  the  laws  of  refraction  and  reflection  too  long 
to  be  baffled  by  this  divertisement.  Here  is  the  translation  : 

"COKINTH,  April  9th. 
"  To  General  Samuel  Cooper,  Richmond,  Va.  : 

"  All  present  probabilities  are  that  whenever  the  enemy  moves  on  this 
position  he  will  do  so  with  an  overwhelming  force  of  not  less  than 
eighty-five  thousand  men.  We  can  now  muster  only  about  thirty-five 
thousand  effective  (men.)*  Van  Dorn  may  possibly  join  us  in  a  few  days 
with  fifteen  thousand  more.  Can  we  not  be  reenforced  from  Pemberton's 
army  ?  If  defeated  here  we  lose  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  probably 
our  cause  ;  whereas  we  could  even  afford  to  lose  for  a  while  Charleston 
and  Savannah,  for  the  purpose  of  defeating  Buell's  army,  Avhich  would 
not  only  insure  us  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  but  our  independence. 

P.  G.  T.  BEAUREGARD." 

This  tells  a  woeful  story  of  losses,  for  it  is  certain  that,  in 
the  attack  of  Sunday,  forty-five  thousand  men  were  engaged ; 
while  in  that  of  Monday,  at  least  seventy-five  thousand  men 
were  brought  into  the  field.  The  General  doubtless  considered 
a  large  portion  of  his  command  non-effective  from  exhaustion, 
demoralization,  desertion  and  sickness, 

*  Beauregarcl's  dispatch  announcing  to  his  Government  the  tidings 
of  the  second  day's  battle,  read  : 

"  We  have  gained  a  great  and  glorious  victory.  Eight  to  ten  thou 
sand  prisoners  and  thirty-six  pieces  of  cannon.  Buell  reenforced  Grant 
and  we  retired  to  our  intrenchments  at  Corinth,  which  we  can  hold. 
Loss  heavy  on  both  sides." 

No  matter  if  the  "  eight  to  ten  thousand  prisoners"  actually  was 
about  one-third  of  that  number — no  matter  if  his  own  losses  in  prison 
ers  were  immense — no  matter  if  his  losses  of  artillery  exceeded  the  num 
ber  given  as  captured  by  him  ;  these  facts  were  only  for  "  private  circu 
lation" — those  given  in  the  dispatch  were  for  the  public.  The  confes 
sions  to  the  Adjutant-General  was  the  key-note  to  the  truth.  But  that 
•was  only  for  the  private,  official  ear. 

2F2 


A  DIGRESSION. 

VICTORIES  of  the  most  signal  character  followed  so  rapidly, 
one  after  the  other  during  the  latter  part  of  April  and  the 
early  part  of  May,  (1861,)  that  the  public  expressed  disappoint 
ment  if  each  morning's  paper  did  not  contain  its  usual  "  dis 
play"  of  big  type  announcing  another  great  conquest.  Small 
affairs,  where  but  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  troops  were  engaged, 
attracted  but  little  attention.  It  was  only  the  bombardment 
and  fall  of  Fort  Macon ;  the  bombardment  and  fall  of  Fort 
Pulaski ;  the  bombardment  of  Forts  Jackson  and  St.  Philip 
and  the  fall  of  New  Orleans ;  the  evacuation  of  Yorktown 
and  the  pursuit  of  the  rebel  grand  army  toward  Richmond ; 
only  these  that  were  the  street  talk,  so  insatiable  was  the  pub 
lic  for  heavy  blows.  Look  at  the  record  of  news  for  one  week, 
as  gleaned  from  the  files  of  the  leading  journals  : 

SUNDAY,  April  27. — Eeceived  news  that  the  advance  guard,4 
under  General  Halleck,  had  attacked  and  driven  back  a  body 
of  rebels  which  acted  as  rear  guard  of  the  rebel  post  of  Cor 
inth.  Date  of  fight,  April  24th.  Lieutenant  Gwinn,  of  the 
United  States  Navy,  in  command  of  the  Tennessee  river  fleet, 
led  a  land  expedition  to  Bear  Creek  Bridge,  of  the  Memphis 
and  Charleston  Eailroad,  destroyed  two  spans  of  the  bridge, 
each  one  hundred  and  ten  feet,  about  five  hundred  feet  of 
trestle  work,  and  half  a  mile  of  the  rebel  military  telegraph 
line.  The  rebels  hastily  retreated  after  a  short  skirmish. 

MONDAY,  April  28. — Received  news  of  the  capture  of  New 


OF     THE     WAR.  367 

Orleans.  The  surrender  was  formally  made  on  Saturday, 
April  26th.  General  McClellan  captured  a  lunette  fortifica 
tion  in  front  of  Yorktown,  driving  the  rebels  out  at  a  charge. 
This  capture  was  also  effected  on  Saturday,  April  26.  Gene 
ral  Banks  reported  our  troops  in  possession  of  Stanton,  Vir 
ginia,  Saturday,  April  26th. 

WEDNESDAY,  April  30. — Eeceived  news  that  a  cavalry  re- 
connoissance  met  a  foraging  party  outside  of  Monterey,  near 
the  Mississippi  border,  and,  after  a  skirmish,  in  which  five 
rebels  were  killed,  including  one  Major,  captured  nineteen 
prisoners,  putting  the  rest  to  flight.  Major  Duncan,  of  General 
Canby's  staff,  with  a  small  force,  obtained  a  victory  over  the 
Texan  rebels  in  ISTew  Mexico,  routing  them  entirely  after  a 
spirited  fight. 

THURSDAY,  May  1. — Eeceived  the  news  that  a  skirmish  had 
taken  place  within  a  few  miles  of  Corinth,  between  one  of  the 
advance  brigades  of  General  Halleck's  army  and  the  rebels. 
The  Union  army  was  victorious.  Date  of  fight,  April  29th. 

FRIDAY,  May  2. — Eeceived  news  that  the  forces  of  General 
Halleck  had  a  skirmish  with  the  rebels  at  Purdy ;  drove  them 
through  the  town,  which  the  Union  troops  took  possession  of, 
burnt  two  bridges,  and  ran  a  locomotive  into  the  river.  This 
action  cut  off  all  communication  between  Corinth  and  the 
North.  Date  of  action,  April  30th.  ' 

Eeceived  intelligence  through  rebel  sources,  that  Fort  Macon 
had  been  surrendered,  after  a  lengthy  bombardment.  Date  of 
surrender,  April  26th. — General  Mitchell  telegraphed  that  his 
forces  had  skirmished  with  and  routed  the  rebels  at  Bridge 
port,  Ala.,  capturing  the  place.  Date  of  fight,  Wednesday, 
April  30th. — General  Halleck  reported  that  Major  Hubbard, 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  First  Missouri  volunteers, 
had  defeated  Colonels  Coffee  and  Stearnweight,  with  a  force 
of  six  hundred  Indians,  at  Keosho,  capturing  sixty-two  pris 
oners  and  seventy-six  horses.  Date  of  conflict,  Saturday, 
April  26th. 

SATURDAY,  May  3. — General  Mitchell  reports  that  after  his 
skirmish  of  Wednesday,  his  troops  crossed  from  the  island  to 


368  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

the  mainland,  captured  two  cannon  and  their  ammunition. 
The  rebels  retreated  in  great  confusion,  without  again  offering 
battle. — The  evacuation  of  Corinth  reported  in  the  South.  No 
official  account  thereof  received  from  our  troops.  —  Baton 
Rouge  reported  once  more  in  the  possession  of  the  Union 
troops. 

SUNDAY,  May  4. — Received  full  particulars  of  the  battle  of 
Camden,  or  South  Mills,  under  General  Reno,  reported  by  the 
rebels  as  a  victory  for  their  forces.  It  has '  since  proved  to 
have  been  a  defeat. — The  arrival  of  the  Santiago  de  Cuba  brings 
intelligence  of  the  capture  of  the  rebel  steamer  Isabel,  or  Ella 
Warley  •  capture  of  the  schooner  Bee,  capture  of  a  schooner 
without  a  name,  etc. — The  arrival  of  the  Empire  City  reports 
the  capture  of  the  contraband  steamer  Nostra  Signora  de  Regla. 
— The  captured  rebel  steamers  Bermuda  and  Florida  arrived 
at  Philadelphia  on  Saturday,  May  3d. 

SUNDAY  EVENING,  May  4. — Yorktown  evacuated  by  the 
rebels.  General  McClellan  reports  his  forces  in  possession  of 
the  ramparts,  guns,  ammunition,  camp  equipage,  everything, 
and  his  troops  in  full  pursuit  of  the  retreating  rebels. — Glou 
cester  in  possession  of  the  Union  troops.  General  Paine  made 
a  reconnoissance  to  Farrningt'on,  Mississippi ;  met,  fought  with 
and  defeated  four  thousand  five  hundred  rebels,  and  captured 
the  position,  some  prisoners,  their  tents,  camp  equipage,  etc. 
The  cavalry  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  rebels.  Date  of  fight, 
May  3d. — An  artillery  reconnoissance  destroyed  two  trestle 
bridges,  and  some  track  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Rail 
road,  at  Glendale,  Mississippi.  Date,  May  3d. 

All  this  in  one  week.  Yet  one  of  the  leading  journals,  with 
an  impudence  that  bordered  on  the  sublime,  stated  (in  the 
middle  of  May)  that  "  what  the  Union  cause  now  most  needs 
is  a  striking  victory,  which  shall  at  once  prove  the  superiority 
of  the  Federal  arms,  and  thus  demonstrate  toward  a  final 
triumph."  Can  meanness  go  farther  than  this  ?  The  London 
Times  said,  early  in  June,  that  it  was  ascertained  the  Union 
victories,  if  such  were  ever  won,  were  only  obtained  by  forcing 
the  Federal  soldiers  into  battle  by  planting  cavalry  behind  them 


OF    THE     WAR.  369 

to  cut  down  any  regiment  that  flinched !  The  malignancy 
of  the  Southern  mind  found  a '  fit  counterpart  in  the  con 
temptible  meanness  of  the  English  heart,  for  through  all  our 
gigantic  struggle  against  treason  and  conspiracy  to  overthrow 
the  Union,  the  English  press — with  one  or  two  honorable 
exceptions — sedulously  misinterpreted,  scoffed,  maligned  and 
ridiculed  the  progress  of  the  Federal  arms  and  the  measures 
of  the  Federal  Government.  So  much  for  a  "  great  and 
chivalrous  nation  !"  History  will  point  to  her  in  scorn  as  the 
embodiment  of  hypocrisy,  dishonor  and  malice.  The  people 
of  the  United  States  can  afford  to  await  their  time  to  redress 
the  insults  heaped  upon  them  by  a  people  whose  very  exist 
ence  depends  in  so  large  a  measure  upon  American  products 
and  money.  A  bitterness  has  grown  in  the  American  heart, 
toward  the  old  enemy,  during  the  progress  of  the  war  for  the 
Union,  which  it  will  take  more  than  one  generation  to  forget. 
There  never  will  be  a  satisfied  people  on  these  shores,  until  British 
insolence  and  ingratitude  is  thoroughly  and  permanently  punished. 
In  saying  this  we  simply  interpret  a  sentiment  which  every 
intelligent  American  knows  to  exist.  Let  those  who  are  wise 
read  the  "  signs  of  the  times"  aright,  and  be  prepared  for  a 
conflict  for  supremacy  which  will  as  surely  come  as  that 
British  insolence  has  an  existence.  The  Great  Kepublic  has 
only  fought  half  the  fight  for  human  liberty,  and  popular 
Government,  in  repressing  the  Southern  rebellion  :  the  other 
half  is  to  be  fought  with  those  enemies  of  the  Republic  in 
Europe  who  presume  to  sit  in  judgment  on  our  affairs  ;  to  say 
what  we  shall  and  shall  not  do — as  if  they  were  the  arbiters 
of  the  destinies  of  the  American  Continent.  The  Nineteenth 
Century  must  witness  the  complete  supremacy  of  the  American 
Union  in  the  affairs  of  this  Continent,  without  fears  of  foreign 
"  intervention"  or  dictation,  or  it  must  witness  the  downfall  of 
popular  Government  The  century  has  no  other  issue. 


47 


BOMBARDMENT  OF  FORTS  JACKSON  AND  ST.  PHILIP,  AND 
THE  FALL  OF  NEW  ORLEANS. 

THE  conflict  with  the  forts  guarding  the  approach  to  New 
Orleans,  added  to  the  lustre  of  American  arms,  and  aiforded 
another  demonstration  of  the  immense  superiority  of  fleets 
over  land  defenses.  The  first  official  announcement  from  the 
scene  of  the  contest  was  as  follows  : 

"  To  the  Hon.  GIDEON  WELLES,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  announce  that,  in  the  providence  of  God,  which  smiles 
upon  a  just  cause,  the  squadron  under  flag-officer  Farragut,  has  been  vouchsafed  a 
glorious  victory  and  triumph  in  the  capture  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  Forts 
Jackson,  St.  Philip,  Livingston  and  Pike,  the  batteries  above  and  below  New 
Orleans,  as  well  as  the  total  destruction  of  the  enemy's  gunboats,  steam  rams, 
floating  batteries  (iron-clad,)  fire-rafts,  and  obstructions,  booms  and  chains.  The 
enemy,  with  their  own  hands,  destroyed  from  eight  to  ten  millions  of  cotton  and 
shipping.  Our  loss  is  thirty-six  killed  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  wounded. 
The  enemy  lost  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred,  besides  several  hundred 
prisoners.  The  way  is  clear,  and  the  rebel  defenses  destroyed  from  the  Gulf  to 
Baton  Rouge,  and,  probably,  to  Memphis.  Our  flag  waves  triumphantly  over  them 
all.  I  am  bearer  of  dispatches. 

(Signed)  "  THEODORUS  BAILEY." 

This  most  important  announcement  was  dated  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  May  8th,  1862.  It  filled  the  hearts  of  loyalists  with 
rejoicing  and  sent  dismay  into  the  hearts  of  the  revolutionists. 
It  was  just  cause  for  rejoicing,  opening,  as  it  virtually  did,  the 
Mississippi  river  to  commerce,  and  depriving  the  rebels  of  their 
most  important  metropolis.  Eecognizing  its  importance,  the 
Confederates  had  so  fortified  the  approaches  as  to  deem  the 
city  safe,  and  they  looked  forward  to  the  Federal  struggle  with 


OF     THE     WAR.  371 

their  forts  and  obstructions,  with  a  satisfaction  not  at  all  re 
pressed.  The  New  Orleans  papers  were  defiant  and  derisive 
until  the  sudden  knowledge  (April  26th)  that  the  Federal  gun 
boats  were  approaching  the  city,  when  dismay  sent  the  over 
confident  and  boastful  press  into  the  most  painful  condition  of 
wounded  pride. 

The  story  of  the  struggle  by  which  the  Union  forces  under 
General  Butler  were  placed  in  possession  of  the  capital,  forms 
one  of  the  most  novel  and  deeply  interesting  chapters  of  the 
war.  We  will  recur  to  it  with  as  much  brevity  as  is  consis 
tent  with  completeness. 

The  success  of  the  expeditions  against  Hatteras,  Port  Eoyal 
and  the  North  Carolina  coast  inspired  the  Navy  Department 
with  new  zeal  in  the  prosecution  of  its  plans  for  the  reduction 
of  New  Orleans.  It  secretly  organized  an  immense  fleet  of 
gunboats,  mortars  and  transports,  giving  the  fleet  command 
to  Commodore  D.  G.  Farragut,  and  the  mortar  flotilla  to  Cap 
tain  D.  D.  Porter ;  while  an  expeditionary  corps  of  land 
forces  was  placed  under  command  of  Major-General  B.  F. 
Butler.  The  destination  of  the  fleet  and  flotilla  was  kept  a 
secret  for  some  time,  though  by  March  20th  it  became  gener 
ally  understood  that  New  Orleans  was  its  point  of  combined 
operations.  Butler's  forces  centered  at  Ship  Island  early  in' 
March.  Brigadier-General  Phelps  assuming  command,  await 
ing  the  superior  officer's  arrival.  The  fleet  arrived  at  Ship 
Island  late  in  March  ;  the  bomb  flotilla  and  transports  rapidly 
followed,  bearing  an  armament  of  mortars,  the  strength  of 
which  exceeded  that  brought  to  bear  upon  Sebastopol. 

This  concentration  at  once  threatened  Mobile  and  New  Or 
leans.  The  rebels  immediately  deserted  Pensacola,  which 
they  had  fortified  with  so  much  labor  and  cost — the  land 
forces  under  Bragg  hastening  to  reenforce  Johnston  and  Beau- 
regard  at  Corinth,  and  the  artillerists  from  the  forts  going  to 
strengthen  the  garrisons  in  the  forts  guarding  Mobile  and  New 
Orleans.  The  forts,  Navy-yard,  dry  dock,  store  houses,  bar 
racks  and  marine  hospital  at  Pensacola  were  abandoned,  April 
6-9th.  On  the  night  of  the  latter  day  they  were  fired  by  the 


372  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

coast  guard  and  consumed.  This  left  no  "  enemy  in  the  rear'1 
to  attend  to,  and  all  attention  was  directed  to  the  work  in 
hand  against  the  forts  commanding  the  approaches  to  New 
Orleans. 

The  fleet  and  flotilla  gathered,  during  the  middle  of  April, 
in  the  Mississippi  River,  ten  miles  below  Fort  Jackson.  The 
novel  expedient  was  then  resorted  to  of  painting  the  vessels 
with  mud — the  more  effectually  to  hide  them  from  the  ene 
my's  sight.  The  masts  were  afterwards  rigged  out' with  bushes 
and  ever-greens,  thus  quite  successfully  masking  their  propor 
tions.  It  was  only  by  the  smoke  of  the  Federal  guns  that 
their  location  could  be  marked  by  the  enemy.  Under  the 
leafy  covert  of  the  river  banks  the  mortar-boats  fought,  when 
the  bombardment  finally  opened,  in  comparative  security, 
sending  their  fearful  thirteen-inch  shells  into  the  Fort  (Jack 
son)  with  precision,  without  offering  any  target  for  a  return 
fire.  The  mud-paint  and  bush-masque  were  a  "  Yankee  trick," 
for  which  the  rebels  were  not  prepared. 

The  bomb  flotilla  was  prepared  for  the  bombardment  by 
the  17th.  The  rebels  sent  fire  rafts,  in  large  numbers,  down 
the  river,  hoping  to  destroy  some  of  the  Union  boats,  but  they 
were  uniformly  suppressed  by  a  ball  or  two  from  one  of  the 
rifled  guns.  "  The  mortar  fleet  sent  the  first  missile  howling 
over  the  water,"  wrote  a  correspondent,  "  towards  Fort  Jack 
son  at  precisely  half-past  nine  on  the  morning  of  Friday,  April 
18th.  It  is  called  Good  Friday  in  the  calendar  of  the  Church, 
although  anything  but  a  good  day  for  the  rebels.  Our  schoon 
ers  lay  partly  hidden  from  the  enemy  behind  the  trees  and 
under  the  brushwood  of  a  dense  swamp  which  stretches  along 
this  right  bank  of  the  river.  With  a  curious  display  of  inge 
nuity,  they  baffled  the  eyes  of  the  enemy  still  further  by  dress 
ing  up  their  masts  and  rigging  with  the  branches  of  green 
withes  and  leaves,  which  so  confounded  them  with  the  woods 
that  at  a  distance  they  could  scarcely  be  distinguished.  The 
rebel  gunners  learned  only  from  the  wreaths  of  smoke  which 
curled  above  the  seeming  forest  the  temporary  position  of 
their  assailants.  This  will  be  pronounced  a  Yankee  trick, 


OF     THE     WAR.  373 

doubtless,  by  our  secession  critics  and  their  sympathetic  friends 
abroad,  or  else,  that  it  was  borrowed  from  Macbeth's  enemies, 
when  '  Birnam  wood  did  come  to  Dunsinane.' 

"  The  distance  of  the  foremost  vessel  from  the  Fort  was 
three  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty  yards,  and  the  three 
divisions  of  which  the  fleet  was  composed  engaged  in  the  fire 
alternately,  each  division  firing  for  four  hours  and  then  rest 
ing  for  eight.  The  rate  of  fire  generally  observed  was,  one 
shell  from  each  mortar  of  the  division  every  ten  minutes.  As 
Fort  Jackson  replied  with  considerable  rapidity  and  vigor,  you 
may  conceive  the  noise  of  the  thunder,  which  was  continued 
for  six  days  and  five  nights. 

"Fortunately,  our  schooners  were  mostly  out  of  the  range  of 
Fort  Jackson,  and  only  within  range  of  Fort  Philip  ;  but,  even 
from  the  latter,  nothing  but  rifled  guns  and  mortars  were  at 
all  dangerous.  Fortunately  again,  the  enemy  had  few  of  these 
customers  to  send  us,  and  we  fought  comparatively  secure. 
Many  of  our  vessels  were  struck,  in  the  course  of  the  long 
engagement,  but  only  one  of  them  was  severely  injured,  and 
only  two  of  their  men  severely  wounded." 

The  firing  of  the  bomb  and  gunboats  having  apparently 
done  but  indifferent  service  in  disabling  the  forts,  Commodore 
Farragut  determined  to  "  run  their  fire"  and  make  for  the  city 
without  waiting  for  the  reduction  of  the  formidable  defenses. 
All  night  long  of  the  23d  the  vessels  of  the  squadron  were 
arranging  for  the  perilous  attempt,  and  were  on  the  way  by 
three  A.  M.  Captain  Porter,  in  his  report,  said  : 

"  We  commenced  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Jackson  on 
the  18th,  and  continued  it  without  intermission  until  the  squa 
dron  made  preparations  to  move.  The  squadron  was  formed 
in  three  lines  to  pass  the  forts.  Captain  Bailey's  division 
composed  of  the  following  vessels,  leading  to  the  attack  on 
Fort  St.  Philip,  viz.  :  Cayuga,  Pensacola,  Mississippi,  Oneida, 
Varuna,  Katahden,  Kineo  and  Wissaliicon.  Flag  Officer  Farra 
gut  leading  the  following  (second  line) :  Hartford,  Brooklyn 
and  Richmond ;  and  Commander  Bell  leading  the  third  divi- 

20- 


374  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

sion  composed  of  the  following  vessels :  /Sciota,  Iroquois,  Pi 
nola,  Winona,  Itasca  and  Kennebec. 

"  The  steamers  belonging  to  the  mortar  flotilla  were  to  enfi 
lade  the  water  battery  commanding  the  approaches ;  mortar 
steamers  Harriet  Lane,  Westfield,  Owasco,  Clifton  and  Suanee, 
and  the  JacJcson  towing  the  Portsmouth.  The  vessels  of  the 
squadron  were  rather  late  in  getting  weigh  and  into  line  ;  and 
did  not  get  fairly  started  until  3:30  A.  M.  The  unusual  bustle 
apprised  the  garrison  that  something  was  going  on. 

"  In  an  hour  and  ten  minutes  after  the  vessels  had  weighed 
anchor,  they  had  passed  the  forts,  under  a  most  terrific  fire, 
which  they  returned  with  interest.  The  mortar  fleet  rained 
down  shells  upon  Fort  Jackson  to  try  and  keep  the  men  from 
the  guns,  while  the  steamers  of  the  mortar  fleet  poured  in 
shrapnel  upon  the  water  battery  commanding  the  approach  at 
a  short  distance,  keeping  them  comparatively  quiet.  "When 
the  last  vessel  could  be  seen,  amid  the  fire  and  smoke,  to  pass 
the  battery,  signal  was  made  to  the  mortars  to  cease  firing, 
and  the  flotilla  steamers  were  directed  to  retire  from  a  contest 
that  would  soon  become  unequal." 

This  alludes  only  incidentally  to  that  extraordinary  "  run 
ning  the  muck."  From  a  resume  of  the  eventful  passage,  we 
may  quote  :  "  Just  before  dawn  the  squadron  was  discovered 
approaching  by  the  enemy.  The  fury  with  which  it  was 
attacked  is  proved  by  the  tremendous  exertions  our  vessels 
were  compelled  to  make  in  order  to  carry  through  their  pur 
pose.  At  first  the  rebel  fleet  endeavored  only  to  check  their 
progress,  while  the  two  forts  poured  incessant  volleys  upon 
them  ;  but  presently  the  action  became  closer  and  more 
involved,  and  mainly  confined  to  the  river.  Hollins'  '  ram,' 
the  Manassas,  although  it  afterward  turned  out  a  helpless  and 
feeble  fabric,  served  the  rebels  well  for  a  time.  It  not  only 
engaged  Commodore  Farragut's  flag-ship,  the  Hartford,  bat 
also  succeeded  in  forcing  a  fire  raft  upon  her,  from  which  she 
narrowly  escaped  destruction.  '  I  thought  it  was  all  up  with 
us,'  said  the  Commodore  in  a  letter  describing  the  event  to 


OF     THE     WAK.  375 

Captain  Porter.  The  flames  were,  however,  extinguished  in 
time  to  save  the  ship,  and  the  '  ram'  betook  itself  to  other 
errands  of  destruction.  The  floating  battery  Louisiana,  which 
lay  moored  not  far  from  Fort  Jackson,  also  occasioned  great 
inconvenience.  Its  firing  was  well  directed,  and  its  metallic 
sides  were  found  to  be  quite  impenetrable.  Other  '  rams ' 
emulated  the  Manassas,  and  attacked  our  gunboats  with  con 
siderable  effect  The  Varuna,  gallantly  commanded  by  Cap 
tain  Boggs,  was  broken  in  pieces  by  their  repeated  onsets,  but 
before  her  own  destruction  she  made  her  name  memorable  by 
disabling  and  destroying  no  less  than  six  of  the  rebel  craft. 
Five  of  these  were  set  in  flames  by  the  Varuna's  shell  and 
run  ashore,  and  another  was  shattered  and  forced  to  surrender. 
The  intrepid  tenacity  of  the  Varuna's  officers  and  crew  is  best 
illustrated  by  the  fact  that  her  last  broadside,  which  beat  in 
the  sides  of  the  ram  Morgan,  was  fired  while  the  gun-carriages 
on  her  upper  deck  were  already  settling  in  the  water.  During 
this  time  our  other  gunboats  were  not  idle.  Nine  of  them, 
together  with*  the  sloops-of-war,  fought  their  way  up  the  river, 
and  gradually  widened  the  space  between  themselves  and  the 
forts.  A  few  were  beaten  back,  having  received  injuries  to 
their  machinery  which  rendered  them,  incapable  of  proceeding. 
The  Itasca^  for  example,  is  said  to  have  received  thirteen  shots 
under  her  water  line,  beside  having  her  boiler  destroyed.  But 
a  sufficient  number  passed  to  secure  the  success  of  the  expe 
dition.  Even  at  the  last  moment,  the  rebels  maintained  the 
struggle.  Some  of  their  steamers,  which  had  been  spared  on 
condition  of  surrendering,  broke  away  and  renewed  the  fight 
at  other  points.  Finally,  the  '  ram'  Manassas,  after  the  engage 
ment  had  virtually  ended,  and  when  the  Union  squadron  was 
seeking  an  anchorage,  bustled  up  after  them,  and  fired  a  shot 
or  two  at  the  Richmond.  The  Mississippi  turned  swiftly  to 
resent  the  insult,  when,  as  if  fearful  of  the  consequences  of  its 
temerity,  the  '  ram'  immediately  ran  ashore,  was  deserted,  and 
was  forthwith  pounded  to  fragments  by  three  heavy  broad 
sides  from  its  pursuer. 

"  The  conflict  was  a  short  one,  lasting  only  an  hour  and  a 


376  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

half  at  the  most  By  half-past  five  in  the  morning  our  success 
had  been  achieved,  and  the  destiny  of  New  Orleans  decided. 
It  was  a  result  which  the  rebels  never  had  anticipated,  and 
which  could  never  have  been  obtained  except  by  the  most 
devoted  and  unshrinking  bravery.  The  consternation  of  the 
people  of  New  Orleans  was  all  the  greater  for  the  confidence 
they  had  cherished.  After  this  decisive  action  only  the  merest 
show  of  resistance  was  offered  at  the  fortifications  intended 
for  the  immediate  protection  of  the  city.  The  fleet  lay  before 
New  Orleans  on  the  morning  of  the  25th.  The  inhabitants 
seemed  possessed  with  a  frenzy  of  rage  and  apprehension. 
They  were  destroying  all  accessible  property,  the  iebel  Gene 
ral  Lovell  having  set  the  example  by  burning  his  own  goods. 
The  officer  sent  on  shore  by  Commodore  Farragut  was  received 
by  the  people,  whom  their  Mayor  afterward  characterized  as 
*  gallant  and  sensitive  to  all  that  can  affect  their  dignity  and 
self-respect,'  with  brutal  and  ferocious  demonstration  of  insult. 
In  spite  of  this  and  similar  actions,  the  dignity  of  our  own 
mission  was  sustained,  and  the  quiet  occupation  bf  the  city  by 
our  forces  was  duly  carried  into  effect." 

Farragut  announced  his  success  in  the  following  rather 
laconic  epistle  to  the  commander  of  the  flotilla  : 

"  DEAR  PORTER  :  We  had  a  rough  time  of  it,  as  Boggs  will  tell  you, 
but,  thank  God,  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  was  very  small,  con 
sidering.  This  ship  had  two  killed  and  eight  wounded.  We  destroyed 
the  rani  in  a  single  combat  between  her  and  the  old  Mississippi,  but  the 
ram  backed  out  when  she  saw  the  Mississippi  coming  at  him  so  ram 
pantly,  and  he  dodged  her  and  ran  on  shore,  wherupou  Smith  put  two 
or  three  broadsides  through  him  and  knocked  him  all  to  pieces.  The 
ram  pushed  a  fire-raft  on  to  me,  and  in  trying  to  avoid  it  I  ran  the  ship 
on  shore.  He  again  pushed  the  fire-raft  on  me,  and  got  the  ship  on  fire 
all  along  one  side.  I  thought  it  was  all  up  with  us,  but  we  put  it  out 
and  got  off  again,  proceeding  up  the  river,  fighting  our  way.  We  have 
destroyed  all  but  two  of  the  gunboats,  and  these  will  have  to  surrender 
with  the  forts.  .  I  intend  to  follow  up  my  success  and  push  for  New 
Orleans  and  then  come  down  and  attend  to  the  forts,  so  you  hold  them 
in  statu  quo  until  I  come  back.  I  think  if  you  send  a  flag  of  truce  and 
demand  their  surrender  they  will  yield,  for  their  intercourse  with  the  city 
is  cut  off.  We  have  cut  the  wires  above  the  Quarantine  and  are  now 
going  ahead.  I  took  three  hundred  or  four  hundred  prisoners  at 


OF    THE    WAR.  377 

Quarantine.  They  surrendered  and  I  paroled  them  not  to  take  up  arma 
again.  I  could  not  stop  to  take  care  of  them.  If  the  General  will  come 
up  to  the  bayou  and  land  a  few  men  or  as  many  as  he  pleases,  he  will 
find  two  of  our  gunboats  there  to  protect  him  from  the  gunboats  that 
are  at  the  forts.  I  wish  to  get  to  the  English  Turn,  where  they  say  they 
have  not  placed  a  battery  yet,  but  have  two  above,  nearer  New 
Orleans. " 

Captain  Boggs'  account  of  his  exploit  deserves  notice.  We 
give  the  material  portions  of  his  report : 

"  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  after  passing  the  batteries  with 
the  steamer  Varuna  under  my  command,  on  the  morning  -of  the  24th, 
finding  my  vessel  amid  a  nest  of  rebel  steamers,  I  started  ahead,  deliver 
ing  her  fire  both  starboard  and  port  at  every  one  that  she  passed.  The 
first  on  her  starboard  beam  that  received  her  fire  appeared  to  be  crowd 
ed  with  troops.  Her  boiler  was  exploded  and  she  drifted  to  shore.  In 
like  manner  three  other  vessels,  and  one  of  them  a  gunboat,  were  driven 
ashore  in  flames  and  afterwards  blew  up. 

"  At  six  A.  M.  the  Varuna  was  attacked  by  the  Morgan,  iron-clad 
about  the  bow,  commanded  by  Beverley  Kennion,  an  ex-naval  officer. 
This  vessel  raked  us  along  the  port  gangway,  killing  four  and  wound 
ing  nine  of  the  crew,  butting  the  Varuna  on  the  quarter  and  again  on 
the  starboard  side.  I  managed  to  get  three  eight-inch  shell  into  her 
abaft  her  armor,  as  also  several  shot  from  the  after  rifled  gun,  when  she 
dropped  out  of  action  partially  disabled. 

"  While  still  engaged  with  her  another  rebel  steamer,  iron-clad,  with 
a  prow  under  water,  struck  us  on  the  port-gangway,  doing  considerable 
damage.  Our  shot  glanced  from  her  bow.  She  backed  off  for  another 
blow,  and  struck  again  in  the  same  place,  crushing  in  the  side,  but  by 
going  ahead  fast  the  concussion  drew  her  bow  around,  and  I  was  able 
with  the  port  guns  to  give  her,  while  close  alongside,  five  eight-inch 
shells  abaft  her  armor.  This  settled  her,  and  drove  her  ashore  in  flames. 
Finding  the  Varuna  sinking,'!  ran  her  into  the  bank,  let  go  her  anchor, 
and  tied  up  to  the  trees. 

"During  all  this  time  the  guns  were  actively  at  work,  crippling  the 
Morgan,  which  was  making  feeble  efforts  to  get  up  steam. 

"  The  fire  was  kept  up  until  the  water  was  over  the  .gun-trucks,  when 
I  turned  my  attention  to  getting  the  wounded  and  crew  out  of  the 
vessel.  The  Oneida,  Captain  Lee,  seeing  the  condition  of  the  Varuna, 
had  rushed  to  her  assistance,  but  I  waved  her  on,  and  the  Morgan  sur 
rendered  to  her,  the  vessel  in  flames. 

"  I  have  since  learned  that  over  fifty  of  her  crew  were  killed  and 

wounded,  and  she  was  set  on  fire  by  her  commander,  who  burned  his 

48 


378  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

wounded  with  his  vessel.  I  cannot  award  too  much  praise  to  the 
officers  and  crew  of  the  Varuna  for  the  noble  manner  in  which  they 
supported  me,  and  their  coolness  under  such  exciting  circumstances, 
particularly  when  extinguishing  fire,  having  been  set  on  fire  twice 
during  the  action  by  shells. 

"  In  fifteen  minutes  from  the  time  the  Varuna  was  struck  she  was  on 
the  bottom,  with  only  her  topgallant  forecastle  out  of  water.  The 
officers  and  crew  lost  everything  they  possessed,  no  one  thinking  of 
leaving  his  station  until  driven  thence  by  water." 

The  forts  followed  the  fate  of  the  city.  A  demand  was 
made  by  Captain  Porter  for  their  surrender,  immediately  after 
the  passage  up  of  Commodore  Farragut's  squadron ;  but,  the 
commanding  officer,  Colonel  Biggins,  refused  to  give  up,  par 
ticularly  as  he  regarded  himself  able  to  hold  the  position 
for  a  time  longer  against  Porter's  bombs..  Porter  preferred  to 
await  the  coming  up  of  Butler's  forces  from  the  land  side,  to 
invest  and  carry  the  works  by  storm.  Aware  of  this  approach 
of  the  land  forces,  the  commanding  officer  in  the  main  fortress, 
together  with  General  J.  R  Duncan,  commanding  the  coast 
defenses,  andW.  B.  Kenshaw,*  commanding  the  rebel  "  navy," 
accepted  the  terms  of  capitulation  extended  by  Captain  Porter. 

The  forts  finally  surrendered,  as  stated,  April  28th.  Porter, 
in  his  account  of  the  interview  with  the  rebel  officers,  reflected 
in  severe  terms  upon  the  want  of  honor  in  one  commander  J. 
KL  Mitchell,  who,  while  the  negotiations  for  the  surrender  were 
transpiring,  towed  above  the  fort,  with  his  three  steamers,  an. 
iron  floating  battery  of  sixteen  guns.  This  was  set  on  fire  and 
sent  adrift  to  come  down  upon  the  Harriet  Lane,  on  board  of 
which  the  articles  of  capitulation  wese  being  arranged.  Porter 
said:  "  While  drifting  down  on  us  the  guns,  getting  heated, 
exploded,  throwing  the  shots  above  the  river.  A  few  minutes 
after  the  floating  battery  exploded  with  a  terrific  noise,  throw- 

K  This  Renshaw  was  one  of  tjie  Lieutenants  in  command  at  Pensacola 
Navy  Yard,  in  1861  ;  and,  in  conjunction  with  Captain  Farrand,  he 
betrayed  that  important  property  into  the  hands  of  those  with  whom  he 
had  been,  f9r  some  time,  conspiring.  His  release,  on  k'  parole,"  was  a 
great  mistake,  since  it  recognized  him  as  an  ordinary  belligerent.  He 
should  have  been  held,  to  be  tried  for  high  treason. 


OF     THE     WAK.  379 

ing  the  fragments  all  over  the  river,  and  wounding  one  of 
their  own  men  in  Fort  St.  Philip,  and  immediately  disappeared 
under  water.  Had  she  blown  up  near  the  vessels  she  would 
have  destroyed  the  whole  of  them."  It  is  well  to  know  that 
Porter  thrust  the  scoundrels  into  close  quarters  when  he  ob 
tained  possession  of  their  persons  a  few  hours  afterward.  They 
ought  to  have  been  instantly  tried  by  court-martial  and  shot 
for  their  rascality.  In  doing  as  they  did,  the  rebels  on  board 
the  steamers  only  expressed  their  own  disregard  for  all  the 
rules  of  civilized  warfare.  They  courted  savage  treatment, 
and  should,  in  strict  justice,  have  had  it;  but,  in  consonance 
with  the  general  course  pursued  toward  the  Southern  prisoners, 
they  were  treated  with  lenity. 

The  forts,  after  capitulation,  were  turned  over  to  General 
Phelps.  Porter  said  of  their  condition :  "  Fort  Jackson  is  a 
perfect  ruin.  I  am  told  that  over  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
shells  fell  in  and  burst  over  the  centre  of  the  fort.  The  prac 
tice  was  beautiful.  The  next  fort  we  go  at  we  will  settle 
sooner,  as  this  has  been  hard  to  get  at.  The  naval  officers 
sunk  one  gunboat  while  the  capitulation  was  going  on,  but  I 
have  one  of  the  others,  a  steamer,  at  work,  and  hope  soon  to 
have  the  other." 


26 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  CAPTURE  OF  FORTS  JACKSON  AND  ST. 
PHILIP,  AND  THE  FALL  OF  NEW  ORLEANS. 

BEFORE  our  bombardment  of  the  forts  began,  the  commanders 
of  the-  British  and  French  men-of-war  lying  in  the  river  ex 
pressed  a  desire  to  visit  the  enemy,  of  course  to  examine  his 
preparations.  The  Commodore  readily  granted  their  request 
"When  they  returned,  they  assured  him  that  it  was  of  no  use 
for  him  to  attempt  the  capture  of  New  Orleans  in  that  direc 
tion  ;  it  could  not  be  done  with  wooden  vessels.  The  brave 
old  tar  replied  :  "I  was  sent  here  to  make  the  attempt.  You 
may  be  right,  but  I  came  here  to  take  ISTew  Orleans — to  pass 
the  forts — and  /  shall  try  it  on  /" 

Of  the  fire-rafts  sent  down  on  the  18th  and  19th,  to  destroy 
our  fleet,  a  reporter  present  at  the  scene,  wrote :  "  Our  men 
had  an  opportunity  to  test,  in  a  practical  manner,  their  means 
for  destroying  fire-rafts,  and  they  proved  to  be  an  admirable 
success.  A  turgid  column  of  black  smoke,  arising  from  resi 
nous  wood,  was  seen  approaching  us  from  the  vicinity  of  the 
forts.  Signal  lights  were  made,  the  varied  colors  of  which 
produced  a  beautiful  effect  upon  the  foliage  of  the  river  bank, 
and  rendered  the  darkness  intenser  by  contrast  when  they  dis 
appeared.  Instantly  a  hundred  boats  shot  out  towards  the 
raft,  which  now  was  blazing  fiercely,  and  casting  a  wide  zone 
of  light  upon  the  water.  Two  or  three  of  the  gunboats  then 
got  under  way  and  steamed  boldly  toward  the  unknown  thing 
of  terror.  One  of  them,  the  Westfield,  Captain  Eenshaw,  gal 
lantly  opens  her  steam  valves,  and  dashes  furiously  upon  it, 
making  the  sparks  fly  and  timbers  crash  with  the  force  of  her 


OF     THE     WAR.  381 

blow.  Then  a  stream  of  water  from  her  hose  plays  upon  the 
blazing  mass.  Now  the  small  boats  lay  alongside,  coming  up 
helter-skelter,  and  actively  employing  their  men.  We  see 
everything  distinctly  in  the  broad  glare — men,  oars,  boats, 
buckets,  and  ropes.  The  scene  looks  phantom-like,  supernatu 
ral  ;  intensely  interesting,  extremely  exciting,  inextricably 
confused.  But,  finally,  the  object  is  nobly  accomplished.  The 
raft,  yet  fiercely  burning,  is  taken  out  of  range  of  the  anchored 
vessels  and  towe<J  ashore,  where  it  is  slowly  consumed.  As 
the  boats  return  they  are  cheered  by  the  fleet,  and  the  scene 
changes  to  one  of  darkness  and  repose,  broken  occasionally  by 
the  gruff  hail  of  a  seaman  when  a  boat,  sent  on  business  from 
one  vessel  to  another,  passes  through  the  fleet  We  have  a 
contempt  for  fire-rafts.  They  have  proved,  like  many  other 
things,  to  be  'weak  inventions  of  the  enemy.'  " 

Fort  Jackson,  as  stated  by  Captain  Porter,  was  greatly  shat 
tered  by  the  appalling  fire  of  the  flotilla  and  fleet.  The 
drawbridges  were  completely  destroyed;  the  cisterns  were 
demolished ;  the  casemates  and  passages  were  filled  with 
water,  the  levee  having  been  cut  away.  The  platforms  for 
tents  were  destroyed  by  the  fire  of  shells.  All  the  casemates 
are  cracked  from  end  to  end,  and  in  some  places  the  roofs  are 
completely  broken,  and  frequently  masses  of  brick  have  been 
dislodged.  Four  guns  were  dismounted,  and  eleven  carriages 
and  traverses  injured.  The  outer  works  of  the  fort  are  cracked 
from  top  to  bottom,  in  several  places  admitting  daylight  freely. 
It  is  computed  that  3,339  shells  were  thrown  into  the  ditches 
and  overflowed  parts  of  the  fort;  1,080  shells  exploded  in  the 
air  over  the  fort  ;  1,113  mortar-shells  were  counted  on  the 
sloping  ground  of  the  fort  and  levee,  and  eighty-seven  round 
shot.  Altogether  7,500  shells  were  fired.  One  shell  passed 
through  the  roof  of  the  water  battery  magazine,  but  did  not 
explode.  On  the  parapet  were  fourteen  new  graves. 

Porter,  when  told,  at  the  conference  on  board  the  Harriet 
Lane,  that  the  rebel  "  gentlemen  of  the  navy"  had  fired  and 
let  loose  the  iron  battery,  signalled  to  his  captains  to  look  out 
for  their  ships,  and  then  quietly  went  on  with  the  conference, 


382  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

telling  the  rebel  colonel  who  was  on  board  with  him,  that 
"  we  could  stand  the  fire  and  blow-up,  if  he  could."  That 
speech  has  the  true  ring  of  the  old  "  Essex"  Porter,  who 
fought  one  of  the  most  desperate  battles  known  to  history, 
and  whose  spirit  is  evidently  alive  in  this  descendant  of  his. 

During  the  conflict  the  much  heard  of  ram  Manassas — with 
which  Commodore  Hollins  achieved  his  sole  exploit  by  run 
ning  into  the  Brooklyn  when  she  ventured  into  the  river  in  the 
fall  of  1861 — again  made  its  appearance,  but  only  to  its  own 
dire  destruction.  It  was  so  well  "  peppered"  that  it  came 
drifting  helplessly  down  stream  on  fire  and  in  a  sinking  condi 
tion.  Whether  her  crew  remained  on  board,  to  be  roasted  or 
parboiled  according  to  their  place  in  the  ship,  or  whether  they 
escaped,  is  not  known.  Commodore  Porter,  who  had  an  eye 
for  a  joke,  did  his  best  to  preserve  that  specimen  joke  of  the 
rebels ;  he  clapped  a  hawser  round  it  and  tried  to  tow  it  to 
the  bank,  but  the  ridiculous  affair  gave  a  puff,  blew  a  few 
harmless  flakes  of  flame  into  the  eyes  of  the  laughing  tars  who 
were  endeavoring  to  surround  it,  and  sunk. 

Among  other  things  destroyed  by  the  rebels  at  ISTew  Or 
leans,  was  their  monster  and  really  formidable  floating  bat 
tery — the  Mississippi — upon  which  the  Southern  people  had 
founded  high  hopes  of  success  to  their  cause.  She  had  been 
seven  months  in  course  of  construction,  employing  five  hun 
dred  men  the  whole  time,  and  would  have  been  finished  in 
three  weeks.  Her  length  was  two  hundred  and  seventy  feet, 
her  depth  sixty,  and  her  armament  was  to  have  been  twenty 
rifled  guns.  The  frame  of  the  hull  was  made  of  Georgia  pine, 
nine  inches  thick  Over  the  wood  were  placed  three  plates 
of  rolled  iron,  making  the  thickness  of  the  armor  alone  four 
inches  and  a  half  She  was  5,000  tons  burden,  and  her  mo 
tive  power  consisted  of  three  propellers,  which  were  calculated 
to  give  her  a  speed  of  eleven  knots  an  hour.  Two  millions 
of  dollars  are  said  to  have  been  expended  in  building  her. 
Some  of  the  prisoners,  taken  in  the  gunboats,  stated  that  she 
was  intended  to  break  up  the  blockade  and  then  cruise  in  the 
Gulf  and  near  Havana  for  prizes. 


OF     THE     WAR.  383 

A  pleasing  incident  occurred  when  the  Federal  .frigate  Mis 
sissippi  struck  the  levee  shore  at  "  Algiers"  in  her  effort  to 
swing  around.  A  large  and  boisterous  crowd  collected,  and 
sought  to  provoke  the  officers  and  men  by  their  remarks. 
The  Captain,  to  drown  their  noise,  called  the  band  and  bade 
them  strike  up  Hail  Columbia.  Involuntarily,  as  it  were,  the 
rabble  ceased  howling,  and  instinctively  some  of  the  old  men 
in  the  throng  raised  their  hats  in  acknowledgment  of  the  strains 
which  from  their  youth  had  inspired  them. 

Two  Irishmen  came  alongside  Captain  Woodworth's  vessel 
on  her  way  up  stream,  with  milk  and  eggs  to  sell.  The  Cap 
tain,  to  enjoy  a  joke,  offered  to  pay  them  for  what  was  pur 
chased  in  Confederate  scrip.  "  Be  gorra  I"  said  Pat,  "  I  thought 
yez  was  gintlemen,  and  paid  for  what  yez  wanted.  Divil  a 
bit  of  money  have  I  seen  for  a  year,  and  Confederate  scrip 
nas  brought  the  wife  and  children  to  starvation  almost."  He 
was  paid  in  the  coin  of  Uncle  Sam,  when  he  broke  out :  "  Hur 
rah  for  the  ould  flag  !  They  wanted  to  make  me  fight  against 
it,  but  I  never  have  fought  and  I  never  will  fit  for  'em."  And 
he  turned  the  money  in  his  hand,  examining  it  curiously,  as  a 
child  might  a  newly-acquired  toy. 

A  correspondent  wrote  of  the  appearance  of  the  city :  "I 
was  impressed  with  the  remarkably  desolate  appearance  of  the 
city.  All  the  warehouses  were  shut,  and  there  was  not  a  ves 
sel,  save  those  of  the  squadron,  to  be  seen  anywhere.  As 
soon  as  the  fleet,  in  its  victorious  advance,  swept  away  the 
defenses  at  La  Chalmette,  a  few  miles  below,  and  appeared 
before  the  city,  the  deluded  people  burned  all  the  shipping, 
and  quantities  of  sugar,  tobacco  and  cotton.  The  work  of 
destruction  was  complete.  More  than  forty  vessels — steamers, 
schooners,  ships — and  immense  piles  of  cotton,  were  fired  at 
the  same  time,  and  the  levee  was  a  line  of  flame.  The  scene 
is  described  as  being  terrible.  The  mob  took  advantage  of  the 
occasion  to  plunder,  and  a  panic  of  the  wildest  description 
raged.  I  saw  the  effects  of  this  wanton  sacrifice  of  property 
in  the  half-burned  and  submerged  hulls  of  several  vessels,  and 


384  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

the  charred  planks  of  the  wharves  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 
Several  heaps  of  cotton  were  still  ablaze." 

The  mob  was  only  learned  to  cease  its  violence  and  taunts 
by  the  strong  hand  of  Butler's  soldiers.  A  day  or  two  after 
the  United  States  flag  was  hoisted  over  the  public  buildings, 
some  persons  assembled  before  the  Mint,  and  tore  the  colors 
from  the  staff,  trampling  upon  them.  The  Pensacola,  then 
lying  opposite,  discharged  a  round  of  grape  into  the  crowd, 
killing  one  man  and  dispersing  the  others.  When  Butler  as 
sumed  martial  control  over  affairs  the  fellow  who  tore  the  flag 
down  (one  Mumford)  was  taken,  tried  and  hung  in  sight  of 
a  vast  assembly,  while  his  sentence  was  placarded  over  the 
city.  That  summary  disposition  of  one  incorrigible  traitor 
had  the  capital  effect  to  render  treason  much  less  popular. 
The  women  of  the  city — including  its  leading  "  ladies" — were, 
however,  so  malignant,  and  impudent  in  their  malignancy,  as 
to  omit  no  occasion  to  bestow  upon  the  Federal  officers  and 
soldiers  alike  their  utmost  scorn  by  words  and  acts.  Oaths, 
imprecations,  indecent  epithets  and  spitting  in  faces  were 
everywhere  meted  out  to  the  quiet  and  gentlemanly  fellows 
who  were  distributed  over  the  city  as  a  guard.  Butler  finally 
put  a  stop  to  this  feminine  and  disgraceful  state  of  affairs  by 
ordering  the  enforcement  of  a  local  law  which  assumed  all 
females  to  be  "  women  of  the  town"  who  were  guilty  of  public 
indecorum :  all  such  were  to  be  consigned  to  the  calaboose. 
There  was  very  little  female  treason  visible  after  that  order. 
It  was  that  order  which  so  horrified  Johnny  Bull  as  to  compel 
a  leading  faction  in  Parliament  to  demand  English  "  inter 
ference"  in  our  affairs,  to  put  a  stop  to  such  outrages  upon 
helpless  women ! 

There  were  found,  safely  stored  in  the  Custom  House,  at 
least  $50,000  worth  of  bells  of  all  descriptions,  from  the  pon 
derous  cathedral  bell  to  the  smallest  size  of  hand-bells.  These 
had  been  contributed  in  response  to  the  proclamation  of  Beau- 
regard  for  gun  metal,  and  were  to  have  been  worked  up  in 
the  Algiers  foundries.  The  "  patriotic"  churches,  planters  and 


OF     THE     WAR.  385 

schools  which  had  contributed  these  bells  to  "  the  cause"  must 
have  relished  the  joke  exceedingly  when  they  were  made  to 
chime  melodiously  for  a  Yankee  victory.  Unlike  Tennyson's 
poetical  bells,  they  rang  in  the  Old  and  rang  out  the  New 
order  of  things. 

Commodore  Farragut's  politeness  was  of  a  nature  to  excite 
a  smile  for  its  significance.  April  26th  he  dispatched  to  "  His 
Honor,  the  Mayor  of  New  Orleans,"  the  following  polite 
request  : 

"  Your  Honor  will  please  give  directions  that  no  flag  but  that  of 
the  United  States  will  be  permitted  to  fly  in  the  presence  of  this  fleet, 
so  long  as  it  has  the  power  to  prevent  it ;  and  as  all  displays  of  that 
kind  may  le  the  cause  of  Woodshed,  I  have  to  request  that  you  will  give 
this  communication  as  wide  a  circulation  as  possible." 

This  so  injured  the  feelings  of  the  Mayor  that  "  His  Honor" 
immediately  made  it  the  subject  of  a  special  message  to  the 
City  Council.  Faragut's  politeness  evidently  was  of  the  over 
powering  kind. 

The  day  previous  (April  25th)  the  Commodore  dispatched 
Captain  Bailey  to  the  Mayor  to  demand  the  unconditional 
surrender  of  the  city — the  hauling  down  of  the  Louisiana  flag 
from  the  City  Hall  and  of  the  Confederate  flag  from  the  Cus 
tom  House,  Post-office  and  Mint — to  require  the  raising  of  the 
United  States  flag  on  all  these  places.  The  Mayor  called  in 
General  Lovell,  commander-in-chief  of  the  rebel  forces,  for  the 
defense  of  the  city.  As  stated  by  "  His  Honor,"  in  his  mes 
sage  to  the  Common  Council,  immediately  convened  :  "  Gene 
ral  Lovell  refused  to  surrender  the  city  or  his  forces,  or  any 
portion  of  them  ;  but  accompanied  his  refusal  with  the  state 
ment  that  he  should  evacuate  the  city,  withdraw  his  troops, 
and  then  leave  the  city  authorities  to  act  as  they  might  deem 
proper."  Whereupon  the  'Mayor  confessed  that  he  was  placed 
in  a  pretty  predicament :  as  a  civil  magistrate  how  could  he 
surrender  the  city  to  a  hostile  force  ?  He  asked  the  Council's 
advice,  and,  in  the  end,  addressed  a  very  impertinent  note  to 
the  considerate  Commodore,  stating  that  brute  force  had 
power  to  do  as  it  pleased,  and  might  come  and  take  the  city. 
49  2ti 


386  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES 

It  remained  for  Butler  to  teach  "  His  Honor"  good  manners 
by  sending  him  to  the  North  to  spend  the  summer  in  a  less 
treason-tainted  atmosphere  than  that  of  New  Orleans.  Butler 
proved  to  be  a  capital  physician  for  all  the  ills  which  afflicted 
the  sensitive  souls  of  the  Southern  "  copper-heads."  He  soon 
brought  order,  peace,  security,  industry,  commerce  out  of  that 
chaos  of  treason  and  rebel  ruffianism.  Was  it  for  that  service 
to  law  and  order  that  the  foreign  interventers  demanded  his 
recall  ? 


SECESSION    ATROCITY    ON    THE    FIELD. 

A  FACT  made  apparent  early  in  the  contest,  was  the  shock 
ing  cruelty  practiced  upon  Federal  prisoners,  by  the  rebels. 
Parson  Brownlow  explicitly  stated,  that  troops  passed  home 
from  the  battle-field  of  Bull  Kun,  armed  with  Yankee  skulls, 
teeth,  finger-bones,  etc.,  as  trophies,  and  exhibited  them  to 
their  delighted  friends  as  an  Indian  would  have  shown  his 
scalps,  in  evidence  of  his  valor.  The  same  statement  was 
made  by  various  authorities,  and  was  discovered  to  be  true 
upon  the  reoccupation  of  the  field  by  McClellan's  advance. 
Kesidents  in  and  around  Manassas  confessed  freely  that  the 
wounded  were  bayoneted,  and  their  bodies  left,  in  many 
instances,  unburied — that  all  our  dead  soldiers  were  stripped 
of  clothing  and  property  almost  as  soon  as  the  retreat  com 
menced — that  numbers  were  buried  face  downward,  to  express 
the  fiendish  disregard  of  the  rules  of  civilized  warfare,  which 


OF    THE     WAR.  387 

the  rebels  saw  proper  to  exergise  upon  many  occasions.  The 
Southern  army  teamsters  frequently  referred  to  the  fact,  that 
they  used  Yankee  skulls  for  tar-pots,  slung  under  the  wagons 
by  two  strings.  Women  were  found  in  the  Shenandoah 
valley  wearing  amulets,  made  of  Yankee  finger  and  toe-bones. 
The  women  of  Winchester  were  remarkable  for  their  profanity 
in  everything  regarding  the  "Yankee."  Even  the  daughter 
of  General  Taylor — the  once  beautiful  and  dashing  Bessie, 
who  married  Colonel  Bliss,  and,  after  his  decease,  wedded  a 
physician  living  in  Winchester — scarcely  refrained  from  vul 
gar  rudeness  and  malice  toward  the  men  and  officers  of  the 
Union  army.  Everywhere,  throughout  Virginia,  the  spirit  of 
secession  seemed  allied  to  the  spirit  of  evil :  men,  women,  and 
even  children  alike  were  possessed  of  a  malignancy  of  heart, 
that  argued  anything  but  civilization  and  self-respect 

The  Lynchburg  (Ya.)  Republican  told  a  story,  illustrative 
of  the  indifference  entertained  by  Southern  gentlemen  toward 
Northern  friends.  It  may  be  repeated  : 

"  Just  before  the  war  broke  out,  and  before  Lincoln's  proclamation 
was  issued,  a  young  Virginian  named  Summerfield  was  visiting  the  city 
of  New  York,  where  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  two  Misses  Holmes, 
from  Waterbury,  Vt.  He  became  somewhat  intimate  with  the  young 
ladies,  and  the  intercourse  seemed  to  be  mutually  agreeable.  The  pro 
clamation  was  issued,  and  the  whole  North  thrown  into  a  blaze  of 
excitement.  Upon  visiting  the  ladies  one  evening,  and  at  the  hour  of 
parting,  they  remarked  to  Summerfield  that  their  present  meeting  would 
probably  be  the  last ;  they  must  hurry  home  to  aid  in  making  up  the 
overcoats  and  clothing  for  the  volunteers  from  their  town.  Summer- 
field  expressed  his  regret  that  they  must  leave,  but  at  the  same  time 
especially  requesting  them  to  see  that  the  overcoats  were  well  made,  as 
it  was  his  intention,  if  he  ever  met  the  Vermont  regiment  in  battle,  to 
kill  one  of  them  and  take  his  coat.  Now  for  the  sequel.  Virginia  se 
ceded.  The  Second  Verrnonlb  regiment,  a  portion  of  which  was  from 
the  town  of  Waterbury,  was  sent  to  Virginia.  The  battle  of  Manassas 
was  fought,  in  which  they  were  engaged,  and  so  was  Summerfield. 
During  the  battle  S.  marked  his  man,  not  knowing  to  what  State  he 
belonged ;  the  fatal  ball  was  sped  on  its  errand  of  death ;  the  victim 
fell  at  the  flash  of  the  gun,  and  upon  rushing  up  -to  secure  the  dead 
man's  arms,  Summerfield  observed  that  he  had  a  fine  new  overcoat 
strapped  to  his  back,  which  he  determined  io  appropriate  to  his  own 


388  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

use.  The  fight  was  over,  and  Summerfield  had  time  to  examine  his 
prize,  when,  remarkable  as  it  may  appear,  the  coat  was  marked  in  the 
lining  with  the  name  of  Thomas  Holmes,  and  in  the  pockets  were  found 
letters,  signed  with  the  name  of  the  sister,  whom  Sunimerneld  had 
known  in  New  York,  and  to  whom  he  had  made  the  remark  we  have 
quoted,  in  which  the  dead  man  was  addressed  as  brother.  The  evi 
dence  was  conclusive — he  had  killed  the  brother  of  his  friend,  and  the 
remark  which  he  had  made  in  jest  had  a  melancholy  fulfilment.  We 
are  assured  this  narrative  is  literally  true.  Summerfield  now  wears  the 
coat,  and,  our  informant  states,  is  not  a  little  impressed  with  the  singu 
larity  of  the  coincidence." 

"  Is  not  a  little  impressed  with  the  singularity  of  the  coinci 
dence  !"  No  feeling  of  regret  for  the  shooting  of  the  brother 
of  those  in  whose  family  he  had  been  a  guest — no  compunc 
tions  of  conscience  against  robbing  the  dead  of  goods  made  up 
with  hands  which  he  had  once  pressed  in  friendship  !  No  ! 
Southern  enmity  forbade  any  such  "  sentimental  qualms ;" 
Southern  honor  and  the  Southern  cause  alike  demanded  that 
a  Northerner  should  be  regarded  as  a  savage,  and  treated  as 
suck 

The  massacre  at  Guyandotte,  Virginia,  illustrated  this  spirit 
of  secession  atrocity.  There  a  troop  of  Union  cavalry  was 
quartered,  when  the  rebels,  secretly  informed  of  the  fact  by  the 
residents  of  the  town,  made  a  sudden  descent  upon  the  place. 
An  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  the  Federals  followed,  in  which 
the  people  of  Guyandotte — including  the  women — -joined. 
But  about  forty  escaped  of  the  two  hundred  cavalrymen — 
many  of  whom  were  shot  by  the  Guyandotte  people  as  they 
were  trying  to  escape  by  swimming  the  river.  This  bloody 
act  was  followed  by  a  just  retribution.  The  town  was  reduced 
to  ashes  by  the  Unionists,  who  quickly  gathered  to  avenge  the 
atrocious  conduct  of  citizens  whom  they  had  respected. 

The  Southern  "  muse,"  of  course,  made  itself  heard  during 
the  contest.  If  the  poetry  was  detestable  as  poetry,  it  was 
never  lacking  in  the  spirit  which  comes  of  the  intense  emo 
tions  of  hate  and  scorn.  The  following  is  one  of  the  best 
effusions  made  public.  It  first  appeared  in  a  Virginia  paper : 


OF     THE     WAR.  389 

Whoop  !  the  Doodles  have  broken  loose, 
Roaring  round  like  the  very  deuce  I 
Lice  of  Egypt,  a  hungry  pack, 
After  'em,  boys,  and  drive  'em  back. 

Bull-dog,  terrier,  cur  and  lice, 
Back  to  the  beggardly  land  of  ice ; 
Worry  'em,  bite  'em,  scratch  and  tear 
Everybody  and  everywhere. 

Old  Kentucky  's  caved  from  under, 

Tennessee  is  split  asunder,  % 

Alabama  awaits  attack, 

And  Georgia  bristles  at  her  back. 

Old  John  Brown  is  dea,d  and  gone  1 
Still  his  spirit  is  marching  on, 
Lantern-jawed,  and  legs,  my  boys, 
Long  as  Apes  from  Illinois  ! 

Want  a  weapon  ?    Gather  a  brick  I 
Club  or  cudgel,  or  stone  or  stick; 
Anything  with  a  blade  or  butt, 
Anything  that  can  cleave  or  cut. 

Anything  heavy,  or  hard,  or  keen  1 
Any  sort  of  a  slaying  machine  ! 
Anything  with  a  willing  mind, 
And  the  steady  arm  of  a  man  behind. 

Want  a  weapon  ?    Why,  capture  one ! 
Every  Doodle  has  got  a  gun, 
Belt  and  bayonet,  bright  and  new, 
Kill  a  Doodle,  and  capture  two  ! 

Shoulder  to  shoulder,  son  and  sire  ! 
All !  call  all !  to  the  feast  of  fire  ! 
Mother  and  maiden,  and  child  and  slave, 
A  common  triumph,  or  a  single  grave. 

Eebel  atrocities  were  renewed  at  the  campaign  before  Rich 
mond.  Such  evidence  was  obtained  as  left  no  doubt  upon  the 
minds  of  even  the  most  ardent  sympathiser  with  the  rebels, 
that  there  were  men  in  the  Confederate  army  capable  of  almost 
any  atrocity.  A  letter  from  a  member  of  the  Eighth  New 
Jersey  volunteers,  gave  the  following  painful  relation  of  the 
indignities  heaped,  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  upon  our 
2n2 


390  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

wounded  officers  and  men,  whom  the  varying  fortunes  of  the 
struggle,  for  a  brief  period,  placed  in  their  possession  : 

"  Major  Ryerson  fell  bravely.  No  words  can  do  more  than  justice  to 
his  coolness  and  courage.  Unfortunately  we  were  not  able  to  get  his 
body  off  the  field  in  the  pressure  of  the  engagement.  Some  of  the 
enemy  came  across  him,  and  with  their  usual  brutality  and  worse  than 
heathen  barbarism,  stripped  him  of  all  he  had  about  him,  save  his 
shirt  and  pants.  They  did  the  same  with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Van 
Lear's  body  (of  the  Sixth  New  Jersey  volunteers).  In  fact  they  served 
all  in  the  same  way,  turning  out  the  pockets  of  every  stricken  soldier 
they  met.  Nor  did  they  stop  at  this  robbery  of  the  dead.  They  per 
petrated  savage  outrages  upon  them,  bayoneting  the  wounded  and 
breaking  in  the  skulls  of  the  dead  with  the  butts  of  muskets,  until  the 
brain  laid  entirely  bare  upon  the  earth  beside  the  body  !  This  is  fear 
ful  to  recount — almost  too  shocking.  But  it  is  true.  And  I  give  it  to 
show  to  those  who  laud  southern  honor,  chivalry  and  nobleness,  what 
southern  honor  and  chivalry  and  nobleness  consist  in.  I  dare  not  longer 
dwell  on  this.  My  feelings  of  indignation  might  lead  to  language  un 
becoming  a  Christian.  Though,  in  truth,  no  language  to  express  dis 
gust  and  contempt  of  such  deeds  as  I  have  recounted  could  well  be  too 
strong." 

This  horrible  statement  was  more  than  confirmed  by  the 
correspondent  of  the  ISTew  York  Times,  who  wrote  from  the 
field  :  "  Major  Eyerson,  of  the  New  Jersey  brigade,  fell  wounded 
in  the  action  of  Monday,  and  two  officers  who  undertook  to 
carry  him  from  the  field  were  shot  in  the  attempt  A  couple 
of  privates  then  sprang  to  his  assistance,  but  he  advised  them 
to  leave  him  for  their  own  safety,  telling  them  that  he  was  not 
dangerously  injured,  and  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  enemy ; 
but  when  the  field  was  searched  the  next  day  for  the  dead,  he 
was  found  lying  among  them,  with  six  bayonet  wounds  in  his 
breast,  his  ears  slit,  and  his  body  nearly  stripped  of  clothing." 
The  Comanches  would  not  have  done  worse.  It  was  wonder 
ful  that,  seeing  these  things,  the  Federal  troops  did  not  seek  to 
retaliate,  but,  in  no  single  instance,  are  we  aware  of  any  other 
than  the  most  humane  and  considerate  treatment  being  meted 
out  to  wounded  rebel  prisoners  in  our  hands.  Occasionally 
threats  were  uttered  by  the  men  of  particular  regiments,  some 
of  whose  wounded  members  had  suffered  outrage  and  murder 


OF     THE     WAR.  391 

at  the  hands  of  the  villains,  who  comprised  full  one-half  of  the 
rebel  army.  Thus,  a  member  of  the  New  York  Sixteenth 
said,  in  writing  of  the  Williamsburg  fight :  "It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  officers  and  men  are  very  much  exasper 
ated  by  the  barbarous  conduct  of  some  of  the  rebels — bayonet 
ing  the  dead,  cutting  the  throats  of  the  wounded,  and,  in  one 
instance,  beating  with  the  butt  of  a  musket  the  skull  of  a 
drummer-boy,  who  had  received  a  wound  which  might  well  be 
presumed  to  be  mortal.  '  This  war  ought  to  have  been  one 
of  extermination  from  the  first,'  was  read,  recently,  either  in  a 
rebel  newspaper,  or  in  some  of  the  choice  specimens  of  litera 
ture  left  in  the  camps.  The  army  of  the  Potomac  is  quite 
ready  to  accept  that  rule ;  possibly  to  press  it.  Certainly  I 
should  pity  any  rebel  who  should  ask  a  favor  of  the  men  of 
the  Sixteenth  New  York'  " 

Occasionally,  also,  a  villain  here  and  there  got  his  deserts. 
Two  notorious  "  bush-whackers,"  named  Koehl  and  Weimer, 
were  hung  at  Sutton,  Yirginia,  having  been  convicted  of  mur 
der.  These  barbarous  wretches,  during  tne  latter  part  of  the 
summer  of  1.861,  caught  a  poor  boy  who  had  been  driving  a 
Government  team  alone  on  the  road.  They  inhumanly  cut  off 
his  head  with  a  scythe,  and  disemboweled  him ;  and,  in  their 
fiendish  joy,  boasted  that  they  had  killed  one  Yankee.  They 
were  captured,  convicted  of  the  murder,  and  executed.  Their 
unusual  brutality  was  fully  proven  at  the  trial. 

We  could  multiply  instances  of  this  painful  character,  but 
have  given  enough  to  answer  our  purpose,  viz.  :  to  show  that 
a  thirst  for  revenge  was  one  of  the  inspiring  motives  which 
filled  and  fired  the  Southern  heart.  It  will  take  two  genera 
tions  of  prosperity  to  banish  from  such  breasts  the  evil  effects 
of  the  passions  engendered  in  the  brief  struggle  for  "  Southern 
Independence." 


ANECDOTES     AND     INCIDENTS. 

WE  find  at  our  disposal  an  immense  number  cf  excerpts, 
illustrative  of  the  facts  and  humors  of  the  service.  Our 
volume  would  scarce  contain  them  all.  We  have  already 
foiven  many  of  the  incidents  which  transpired  on  certain  fields  ; 
and  will,  now,  reproduce  such  as  seem  to  possess  more  than  a 
passing  interest. 

The  music  of  bullets  and  balls  is  referred  to  frequently  in 
accounts  of  battles.  A  soldier,  critical  in  musical  intonation 
and  the  graduation  of  scales,  gave  us  these  notes,  explanatory 
and  commentary  on  the  "  performances"  of  the  death-dealing 
messengers : 

"  It  is  a  very  good  place  to  exercise  the  mind,  with  the  enemy's  picket 
rattling  close  at  hand.  A  musical  ear  can  study  the  different  tones  of 
the  bullets  as  they  skim  through  the  air.  I  caught  the  pitch  of  a  large- 
sized  Minie  yesterday — it  was  a  swell  from  E  flat  to  F,  and  as  it  passed 
into  the  distance,  and  lost  its  velocity,  receded  to  D — a  very  pretty 
change.  One  of  the  most  startling  sounds  is  that  produced  by  the 
Hotchkiss  shell.  It  comes  like  the  shriek  of  a  demon,  and  the  bravest 
old  soldiers  feel  like  ducking  when  they  hear  it.  It  is  no  more  destruc 
tive  than  some  other  missiles,  but  there  is  a  great  deal  in  mere  sound  to 
work  upon  men's  fears. 

"  The  tremendous  scream  is  caused  by  a  ragged  edge  of  lead,  which 
is  left  on  the  shell.  In  favorable  positions  of  light,  the  phenomena  can 
sometimes  be  seen,  as  you  stand  directly  behind  a  gun,  of  the  clinging 
of  the  air  to  the  ball.  The  ball  seems  to  gather  up  the  atmosphere  and 
carry  it  along,  as  the  earth  carries  its  atmosphere  through  space.  Men 
are  frequently  killed  by  the  wind  of  a  cannon-shot.  There  is  a  law 
which  causes  the  atmosphere  to  cling  to  the  earth,  of  which  presses 


OF     THE     WAR  393 

upon  it  with  a  force,  at  the  surface,  of  fifteen  pounds  to  the  square  inch; 
does  the  same  law,  or  a  modification,  pertain  to  cannon-balls  in  flight  ? 
I  do  not  remember  of  meeting  with  a  discussion  of  the  subject  in  any 
published  work.  It  is  certainly  an  interesting  philosophic  question." 

A  good  story  is  related  of  Colonel  Merideth,  of  the  Nine 
teenth  Indiana  volunteers,  regarding  his  principles  and  practice 
in  dodging  bulkts.  It  runs  :  "  At  the  Lewisville  skirmish,  the 
Colonel  was  at  the  head  of  his  men,  as  they  were  formed  in 
line  of  battle,  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  As  the  shells  ex 
ploded  over  them,  his  boys  would  involuntarily  duck  their 
heads.  The  Colonel  saw  their  motions,  and,  in  a  pleasant  way, 
exhorted  them,  as  he  rode  along  the  line,  to  hold  up  their 
heads  and  act  like  men.  He  turned  to  speak  to  one  of  his 
officers,  and  at  that  moment  an  eighteen-pounder  shell  burst 
within  a  few  yards  of  him,  scattering  its  fragments  in  all  direc 
tions.  Instinctively  he  jerked  his  head  almost  to  the  saddle 
bow,  while  his  horse  squatted  with  fear.  '  Boys,'  said  he,  as 
he  raised  up  and  reined  his  steed,  *  you  MAY  dodge  the  large 
ones  ! '  A  laugh  ran  along  the  line  at  his  expense,  and  after 
that  no  more  was  said  about  the  impropriety  of  dodging 
shells." 

There  is  power  in  music  to  send  men  into  the  fray  with  the 
wild  abandon  which  inspires  them  in  the  dance.  At  the  battle 
of  Williamsburg,  Heintzelman's  brigade  for  some  time  with 
stood  the  terrific  shock  of  the  assault  of  the  enemy,  fully 
numbering  three  men  to  his  one.  "Worn  out  with  fighting,  it 
was  evident  that  he  must  give  way  if  reenforcements  did  not 
come  up  to  his  relief.  At  that  critical  and  anxious  moment, 
Brigadier-General  Berry,  of  Maine,  came  in  sight,  with  his  fine 
brigade,  upon  a  run.  Heintzelrnan  huzzaed  with  gratitude. 
He  ran  to  the  nearest  band,  and  ordered  it  to  meet  the  coming 
regiments  with  "  Yankee  Doodk"  and  to  give  them  marching  time 
into  the  field  with  the  "  Star- Spangled  Banner"  A  wild  "  hur 
rah  !"  went  up  from  the  army,  and,  with  a  jell  that  was  elec 
tric,  three  regiments  of  Berry's  brigade  went  to  the  front, 
formed  a  line  nearly  half-a-mile  long,  and  commenced  a  volley 
firing  that  no  troops  on  earth  could  stand  before — then,  at  the 
50 


394  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

double-quick,  dashed  with  the  bayonet  at  the  rebel  army,  and 
sent  them  flying  from  the  field  into  their  earthworks,  pursued 
them  into  the  largest  of  them,  drove  them -out  behind  with  the 
pure  steel,  and  then  invited  them  to  retake  it  The  attempt 
was  repeatedly  made,  and  repeatedly  repulsed.  The  count  of 
the  rebel  dead  in  that  battery,  at  the  close  of  the  fight,  was 
fearful  evidence  of  the  tenacity  of  the  Northern  troops.  They 
were  principally  Michigan  men  who  did  this  work.  The  equi 
librium  of  the  battle  was  restored. 

This  tenacity  of  the  Northern  troops  was  illustrated  on 
many  a  field  Eead  our  account  of  the  Ball's  Bluff  disaster, 
of  the  Missouri  campaign,  of  the  Pittsburg  Landing  struggles, 
where  our  men  seemed  to  court  death.  The  same  virtue  was 
more  splendidly  illustrated  in  the  six  days  struggle  (June  27th- 
July  2d)  of  McClellan's  army  in  its  retreat  for  realignment  on 
the  James  River.  The  history  of  modern  warfare  does  not 
present  an  instance  of  greater  endurance,  heroism,  devotion  to 
orders  and  desire  for  the  close  quarters  of  deadly  conflict.  It 
was  an  almost  ceaseless  struggle  of  life  and  death,  wherein 
men  freely  walked  into  the  fire  to  leave  on  the  ground  one 
half  of  their  numbers.  The  General  who  could  educate  his 
men  up  to  that  point  of  duty  possesses  elements  of  greatness 
even  though  his  campaigns  should  prove  failures. 

At  Bull  Run,  prior  to  the  "  panic,"  the  men,  as  a  general 
thing,  fought  splendidly.  The  records  of  that  two  days  battle 
are  alive  with  deeds  of  true  heroism  —  some  of  which  we 
already  have  recounted,  (see  pages  178-187.)  One  incident, 
not  there  recurred  to,  deserves  mention,  bringing  out  in  bold 
relief  as  it  does  the  prowess  of  men  brought  up  in  the  forest 
and  familiar  with  danger  from  their  childhood. 

"  On  the  evening  previous  to  the  battle  of  Sunday,  two  of  the  Minne 
sota  boys  took  it  into  their  heads  to  forage  a  little,  for  amusement  as 
well  as  eatables.  Striking  out  from  their  encampment  into  the  forest 
they  followed  a  narrow  road  some  distance,  until,  turning  a  bend,  five 
secession  pickets  appeared  not  fifty  yards  distant.  The  parties  discov 
ered  each  other  simultaneously,  and  at  once  leveled  their  rifles  and  fired. 
Two  of  the  Confederates  fell  dead,  and  one  of  the  Minnesotians,  the 
other  also,  falling,  however,  but  with  the  design  of  trapping  the  other 


OF    THE    WAR.  395 

three,  who  at  once  came  up,  as  they  said,  to  '  examine  the  d — d  Yankees.' 
Drawing  his  revolver,  the  Minnesotian  found  he  had  but  two  barrels 
loaded,  and  with  these  he  shot  two  of  the  picket.  Springing  to  his 
feet,  and  snatching  his  saber  bayonet  from  his  rifle,  he  lunged  at  the 
survivor,  who  proved  to  be  a  stalwart  lieutenant,  armed  only  with  a 
heavy  sword.  The  superior  skill  of  the  Southerner  was  taxed  to  the 
utmost  in  parrying  the  vigorous  thrusts  and  lunges  of  the  brawny  lum 
berman  :  and  for  several  minutes  the  contest  waged  in  silence,  broken 
only  by  the  rustle  of  the  long  grass  by  the  roadside  and  the  clash  of 
their  weapons.  Feigning  fatigue,  the  Minnesotian  fell  back  a  few 
steps,  and  as  his  adversary  closed  upon  him  with  a  cat-like  spring,  he 
let  his  saber  come  down  on  the  head  of  his  antagonist,  and  the  game 
was  up.  Collecting  the  arms  of  the  secessionists,  he  returned  to  the 
camp,  where  he  obtained  assistance,  and  buried  the  bodies  of  his  com 
panion  and  his  foes  in  one  grave." 

An  equally  exciting  story  is  told  of  a  member  of  the  Tenth 
Massachusetts,  who  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Fair 
Oaks.  A  guard  of  two  Alabamians  was  placed  over  him 
temporarily.  Seeing  a  New  York  regiment  approaching,  the 
Massachusetts  man  concluded  to  "secede."  He  "  pitched  into" 
his  guards,  knocking  down  and  disarming  both  of  the  South 
ern  gentlemen  before  they  were  aware  of  the  Yankee's  design. 
But  Yankee  was  not  then  ready  to  leave.  A  wounded  com 
rade  was  placed  on  a  rude  litter  and  the  two  Alabamians  were 
made  to  bear  the  burden  into  the  New  York  ranks. 

The  women  of  the  South  proved,  at  times,  more  unconquer 
able  enemies  than  the  men.  Their  unbridled  tongues  ran  to  a 
vocabulary  of  epithets  and  passion  perfectly  astonishing  to  the 
Northern  men,  who  had  been  led  to  believe  that  a  Southern 
woman  was  a  superior  creature.  Our  troops  learned,  in  their 
campaigns,  that  the  spirit  of  secession  made  demons  of  men 
and  furies  of  women,  and  few  of  them  will  return  home  to 
entertain  respect  for  the  females  of  the  South  who  unsexed 
themselves  to  prove  their  scorn  of  "  the  Yankees." 

How  brightly  the  story  of  the  war  is  illuminated  by  the 
sacrifices  of  many  of  the  women  of  the  North  !  As  nurses  — 
as  beneficiaries  and  directors  of  relief  and  supply  associations— 
as  ministers  of  hope  to  the  hospital  and  the  camp — their  record 
is  one  to  make  Northern  men  rejoice  to  claim  them  as  mothers, 


396  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

sisters,  wives  and  friends.  It  will  be  a  precious  volume  that 
"elates  their  good  deeds  and  blessed  ministrations.  From  the 
noble  Sisters  of  Mercy  to  the  humble,  self  sacrificing  woman 
who  toiled  alone  to  do  something  for  her  beloved  ones  in  the 
field,  it  is  one  ceaseless  story  of  a  devotion  over  which  the 
angels  must  have  rejoiced.  May  the  book  of  their  deeds  be 
written  ! 

After  the  battle  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  great  numbers  of  per 
sons  flocked  to  the  vicinity  of  the  conflict  to  look  after  their 
dear  ones  dead  or  wounded.  Many  affecting  stories  were  re 
lated.  A  lady  in  search  of  her  boy,  reported  "  wounded,"  ex 
amined  all  the  hospitals  to  find  her  treasure.  She  passed 
through  the  various  wards,  and  saw  none  whom  she  could 
recognize  as  her  boy.  After  looking  in  vain,  and  scanning 
closely  every  countenance,  she  was  about  to  retire  in  sorrow 
and  disappointment,  when  a  poor  emaciated  lad  —  a  mere 
shadow  of  humanity — who  had  severely  suffered  from  fever 
and  disease,  feebly  uttered,  Mother !  The  lady  turned  and 
looked  upon  the  poor  sufferer,  but  could  see  no  likeness  of 
her  boy,  who  so  recently  had  left  home  in  the  bloom  of  youth 
and  health.  Again  the  lad  feebly  articulated,  Mother  !  The 
tears  started  from  the  eyes  of  the  good  woman,  as  she  thought 

of  her  own  boy.  A  gentleman  standing  near — a  Mr.  S , 

of  New  York — said  :  "  Madame,  I  can  see  a  likeness  of  you 
in  that  boy  ;  it  must  be  your  son."  The  mother  asked  his 
name,  and  with  scarcely  strength  enough  to  speak,  he  managed 
to  utter  almost  inarticulately  his  name,  when  the  lady  saw  it 
was  her  boy.  The  gentleman  who  narrated  this,  added : 
"  This  is  a  sample  of  many  such  cases,  the  result  of  the  fevers 
to  which  the  unacclimated  are  incident." 

Another  painfully  interesting  incident  is  related  of  the  man 
ner  in  which  Mrs.  Pfieff,  the  wife  of  Lieutenant  Louis  Pfieff, 
of  Chicago,  who  was  killed  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  was  enabled 
to  find  her  husband's  body.  No  person,  when  she  arrived  on 
the  field,  could  inform  her  where  her  husband's  body  was 
buried ;  and  after  searching  among  the  thousands  of  graves 
for  half  a  day,  she  was  about  to  abandon  the  pursuit  in  despair. 


OF     THE     WAR.  397 

Suddenly  she  saw  a  large  dog  coming  toward  her,  which  she 
recognized  as  one  which  had  left  Chicago  with  her  husband. 
The  dog  seemed  delighted  to  find  her,  and  led  her  to  a  distant 
part  of  the  field,  where  he  stopped  before  a  single  grave.  She 
caused  it  to  be  opened,  and  found  the  body  of  her  husband. 
It  appears,  by  the  statements  of  the  soldiers,  that  the  dog  was 
by  the  side  of  the  Lieutenant  when  he  fell,  and  remained  with 
him  till  he  was  buried.  He  then  took  his  station  by  the 
grave,  and  there  he  had  remained  for  twelve  days,  until  re 
lieved  by  the  arrival  of  his  mistress,  only  leaving  his  post 
long  enough  each  day  to  procure  food.  This  is  a  well  authen 
ticated  incident,  and  will  go  far  toward  relieving  the  race  of 
dogs  from  the  odium  which  some  would  attach  to  their  species. 

A  woman  was  regularly  commissioned  Major  for  her  ser 
vices  on  the  field.  Governor  Yates,  of  Illinois,  recognized  the 
eminent  and  beneficent  labors  of  Mrs.'Keynolds,  ofPeoria,  wife 
of  Lieutenant  Eeynolds,  (Company  A,  Seventeenth  Illinois 
volunteers,)  by  conferring  on  her  the  commission.  The  lady 
accompanied  her  husband  through  the  greater  part  of  the  cam 
paign  through  which  the  Seventeeth  passed,  sharing  with  him 
the  dangers  and  privations  of  a  soldier's  life.  She  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  and,  like  a  ministering 
angel,  attended  to  the  wants  of  as  many  of  the  wounded  and 
dying  soldiers  as  she  could,  thus  winning  the  gratitude  and 
esteem  of  the  brave  fellows  by  whom  she  was  surrounded. 
Governor  Yates,  hearing  of  her  heroic  and  praiseworthy  con 
duct,  presented  her  with  a  commission  as  Major  in  the  Army 
— the  document  conferring  the  well-merited  honor  being  made 
out  with  all  due  formality,  and  having  attached  the  great  sefil 
of  the  State. 

Among  some  of  the  most  painful  experiences  of  the  war, 
were  those  wherein  Northern  men  were  first  made  familiar 
with  the  dark  side  of  the  institution  of  Slavery.  Throughout 
the  South,  where  the  Union  forces  penetrated,  slaves  and  mas 
ters  were,  of  necessity,  forced  upon  the  attention  of  the  troops. 
The  negro,  longing  for  freedom,  would  seek  our  lines  for 
safety,  and,  to  prevent  such  desertion  the  master  would  resort 
2i 


398  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

to  even  more  rigorous  measures  than  usual — inflicting  punish 
ments  which  were,  indeed,  well  calculated  to  inspire  terror  and 
to  repress  effort  to  escape.  In  a  few  instances  only  were  these 
shocking  brutalities  toward  slaves  properly  punished.  General 
Butler — himself  a  life-long  friend  and  supporter  of  the  institu 
tion  of  Slavery — was  called  upon  to  consider  a  case,  upon  his 
first  assumption  of  power  in  New  Orleans.  It  at  once  so 
shocked  him,  as  to  induce  the  exercise  of  all  his  power  in  its 
punishment.  The  case  was  this  : 

A  citizen  of  New  Orleans  (one  William  T.  Hunter)  had  his 
house  visited,  by  order  of  the  military  authorities,  to  discover 
the  store  of  arms,  etc.,  known  to  be  secreted  on  the  premises. 
Hunter  being  absent,  his  wife  directed  a  negro  woman  to  show 
the  guard  over  the  house,  which  she  did.  Arms,  tents,  etc., 
were  found.  Hunter  soon  returned,  to  find  that  not  only  were 
the  "  contraband"  articles  gone,  but  that  the  negro  woman  had 
followed  the  guard  away.  Mrs.  Hunter  had,  however,  recov 
ered  the  slave — who,  it  would  appear,  simply  followed  the 
cortege  away  out  of  curiosity,  and  would  soon  have  returned  of 
her  own  accord.  Hunter,  however,  resolved  to  "  punish"  his 
servant  property  for  her  crime.  Taking  down  the  heavy  whip 
used  for  negro  whipping,  he  beat  the  woman  cruelly  over  the 
head.  Tiring  of  this,  he  took  her  down  into  the  back-yard,  to 
"  the  block,"  to  which  she  was  chained — Mrs.  Hunter  herself 
fastening  the  shackles. 

"  The  husband  and  wife  then  threw  the  servant  down  upon  her  back, 
fastened  her  hands  to  the  feet  of  another  servant,  who  was  forced  to 
hold  the  girl  out  to  her  full  length.  ThS  girl  was  then  subjected  to 
head-shaving ;  her  clothes  were  next  removed,  and  Hunter  beat  the 
exhausted  creature  with  the  horsewhip  until  he  was  too  tired  to  stand. 
He  then  called  for  a  chair,  sat  down,  and  finished  his  brutal  beating  in  a 
sitting  posture.  The  screams  of  the  sufferer  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  neighborhood.  One  neighbor  sent  intelligence  of  what  was  trans 
piring  to  General  Butler.  Before  word  reached  the  General  the  moh 
ster  had  flayed  the  back  of  his  slave  until  it  became  raw — washed  her 
down  with  brine,  threw  her  into  a  wagon,  and,  at  nine  o'clock  at  night, 
conveyed  her  to  the  parish  prison,  with  the  pleasing  information  that 
the  rest  of  the  beating — to  the  extent  of  three  hundred  lashes — would 
be  inflicted  in  the  morning." 


OF     THE     WAK.  399 

• 

Butler  was  horrified  at  that  early  lesson  of  the  "  rights  of 
masters  .over  slaves."  He  ordered  Hunter,  his  wife  and  the 
slave  woman  into  his  presence  early  on  the  following  morning, 
and,  with  his  own  eyes,  beheld  the  shocking  sight — a  human 
being,  a  woman — beaten  almost  into  a  jelly  for  no  greater 
crime  than  running  down  with  the  crowd,  to  the  Federal  quar 
ters.  Butler  gave  the  villain — who  was  one  of  the  "most 
respectable  citizens"  of  the  city — such  a  talk  as  the  case  de 
manded,  and  ended  by  committing  the  inhuman  creature  to 
Fort  Jackson.  Hunter  demurred  to  the  incarceration  saying 
he  had  brought  along  with  him  a  physician  to  prove  that  he 
had  been  sick  for  six  months.  Butler  sternly  remarked  that 
all  the  proof  he  wanted  was  in  that  woman's  back — if  Hunter 
was  able  to  flog  a  human  being  in  that  manner  he  was  strong 
enough  to  suffer  punishment  for  it  "And  be  careful,"  said 
the  irate  General,  "  that  you  behave  yourself  perfectly,  for  I 
shall  order  you  to  be  flogged  and  your  back  to  be  washed 
down  with  brine  if  any  insolence  is  offered."  And  the  fellow, 
was  marched  off  to  Fort  Jackson  while  the  slave  was  taken 
from  her  mistress — who  was  one  of  the  leading  ladies  of  New 
Orleans — and  turned  over  to  the  Thirteenth  Connecticut  regi 
ment  as  a  laundress. 

This  case  greatly  excited  the  indignation  of  the  New  Orleans 
people,  who  saw  in  it  "an  invasion  of  their  constitutional 
rights" — that  Butler  should  have  dared  to  incarcerate  a  citizen 
for  simply  beating  his  slave !  He  had  a  right  to  beat  her, 
under  the  laws  of  the  State ;  and,  in  sitting  in  judgment  on 
the  case,  Butler  had  exceeded  his  authority  and  had  set  a 
dangerous  precedent !  Perhaps  he  did  exceed  his  authority 
and  sit  in  judgment  on  a  case  belonging  to  the  civil  authori 
ties  ;  but  even  B.  F.  Butler  was  a  "  higher  law"  man  when 
emergencies  required,  and,  what  was  strange,  the  "  conserva 
tives"  in  Congress  did  not  call  for  an  inquiry  into  the  matter, 
nor  demand  the  General's  recall !  Had  he  been  some  "aboli 
tion"  General,  instead  of  an  old  "Hard  Shell"  Breckenridge 
Democrat,  Butler  would  have  seen  the  lightning  and  heard  the 
thunder  of  several  Congressmen  whose  labors  were  chiefly 


400  INCIDENTS     AND     ANECDOTES 

devoted  to  the  end  of  securing  to  outlaws,  assassins,  thieveg 
and  traitors  "constitutional  rights."  Nero  fiddled  while  the 
torch  was  applied  to  Eome,  but  Eome  had  no  Senators  base 
enough  to  prate  of  the  "constitutional  rights"  of  the  incendia 
ries  and  emissaries  enforcing  the  orders  of  a  monster.  There 
was  no  Yallandigham  there — alas  for  the  memory  of  Nero  ! 

"We  have  before  us,  in  a  letter  from  an  officer  in  an  Indiana 
regiment  serving  in  Arkansas  in  May,  1862,  a  little  incident 
of  ad-venture  and  experience  which  may  be  quoted.  He  says  : 

"  Yesterday  my  heart  was  fearfully  agitated  by  a  sight  I  shall  never 
forget.  We  traveled  eight  miles,  and  stopped  for  breakfast  at  a  rich 
planter's  house.  While  breakfast  was  preparing  I  heard  one  of  the 
soldiers  remark  that  in  a  certain  cabin  there  was  a  woman  with  a  chain 
around  her  neck.  I  walked  to  the  cabin,  opened  the  door,  ana  saw 
that  which  made  my  heart  sick.  A  woman  in  .chains  !  It  is  «ae  she 
was  yellow  in  complexion.  There  was  negro  blood  in  her  veins.  She 
was  a  quadroon*,  with  regular  features.  '  Who  placed  this  chain  around 
your  neck  ? '  '  That  man.'  '  What  man  ? '  '  The  owner  of  this  place.* 
1  What  did  he  do  it  for  ? '  *  For  running  away ;  I  am  not  his ;  I  was 
stole  from  St.  Louis.  Oh,  do  save  me  and  my  little  boy.  He  gave  me 
three  hundred  lashes  last  night.  The  dear  Lord  save  me.  Look  at  my 
feet.'  •  I  looked.  There  was  blood  upon  her  ankles  and  feet  as  it  had 
trickled  down  her  person.  I  sent  for  the  master  ;  he  came.  '  Take  that 
chain  from  that  woman's  neck.'  He  hesitated.  *  Take  it  away  ! '  The 
chain  was  removed.  I  have  done  this  on  my  own  responsibility.  I 
suppose  I  have  violated  the  law,  and  made  myself  liable  to  be  tried  by 
court-martial,  and  perhaps  cashiered." 

"  Made  myself  liable  to  the  law."  Then  the  law  does  give  a 
man  the  right  to  place  chains  on  a  woman's  neck,  to  whip  her 
with  three  hundred  lashes,  and  to  punish  those  who  gainsay 
that  right?  The  answer  is,  it  does!  Let  Christian  men,  who 
have  respect  for  the  law.  see  to  it  that,  in  the  new  order  of 
things  which  must  follow  the  struggle  for  the  Union's  life,  the 
right  of  a  man  to  flay  a  woman  alive,  at  his  pleasure,  may  be 
made  one  of  the  things  of  the  past 


I 


•       • 


4 

• 

Si      -  ~   •-  '        - 


